so much to search out the truth as to expose another party Well the same Pamphleter proceedeth to tell us that h Id. pag. 93. If we mark well we shall find that in this last Century of years there hath been more Princes Deposed and Murthered for their Religion by these Protestants of Integritie then have been in all others since Christ's time by the Popes Excommunication or the attempt and means of Roman Catholicks i Id. pag. 98. By all which it is plain that Rome is so far from being the Author and Fountain of these Rebel-Doctrines that all Loyalty is in the Reputation of these Protestants of Integritie Popery For he would make you believe of the Romanists that they a Id. pag. 104. are to fight onely with Prayers Arms against Princes have no warrant Quis est Judex si Rex transgreditur Conditiones Regni solus Deus Who is Judge if the King transgresseth the Conditions of his Kingdom onely God Navar. Cunerus and all the Catholick Doctors that ever I have seen agree perfectly in this same sentence But who so bold as blinde Bayard And therefore whence must these Treasonable Doctrines Opinions and Practices come he will tell you and hopeth you will as freely credit him b Id. pag. 110. From Rome it cannot be for its Doctrines with the Opinions and Practices of all its Doctors are quite contrarie and all that is said against that Church in this particular is meer Calumnie And so much for this shameless Libel which is since well Answer'd by the Reverend Dr. Peter du Moulin the Learned Son of a Learned Father T. C or be who it will that was the Author of Labyrinthus Cantuariensis will by no means allow the Romanists to hold any disloyal Assertions His words are c Preface Neither doth Mr. Fisher or any of his Profession allow or use any such nets as the Relator viz. Archbishop Laud mentions that is they neither practice nor hold it lawful to dissolve Oaths of Allegiance to depose and kill Kings to blow up States for the establishing of Quod volumus c. But I would know of the Author for what things they do allow them And in another place he thus undertakes to Apologize for the Popes d Labyrinth Cant. p. 226. § 7. Nor did the Popes ever attempt or so much as pretend to bring the Emperours under them in Civil Affairs which is another aspersion the Bishop layeth upon them Gregory VIII and Innocent III were indeed very prudent men and worthy Champions of the Church to assert her just Liberties but they never endeavour'd to subject the Emperour to themselves in Temporal matters And Mr. Serjeant according to his usual way will thus in a few Idle words vindicate the Popes e J. S. Answer to Dr. Pierce's Sermon pag. 116. Nay but the Court of Rome trod upon Crowns and Scepters An Hyperbole fetcht from the Horns of the Moon When where what Crowns and Scepters Another who undertook to answer the said Sermon would gladly thus cleer the Romanists f The Primitive Rule before the Reformation in the Afternoons Exhortation pag. 18. We Catholicks declare Kings to be free from any Coercive power from their own Laws and Subjects to which they are not bound civiliter but naturaliter onely for if once a Coactive power be allowed Ex coactione sequitur saltem paritas summitatis divisio as the Civilian speaks and Kings once compell'd by their Subjects are no more Scripture-Kings Gods Kings Titular Popular Kings onely For Gods Kings saith Otho Frisigensis being above all Laws are reserved to the Divine judgement hereafter they may not be punished by the secular Laws g Id. pag. 20. As for Catholicks and their fidelitie to Kings none speak it more none advise or practice it more in all secular obediences then the Roman Pastours and the Catholicks in their Communion h Id. pag. 22 23. Yea so far is this Sea Apostolick from frequent practices of that nature upon Kings viz. to depose them of which the Reformed Churches are so guilty that it is evident more Rebellions have been rais'd against Princes for Religion onely in this last Reformed age in a few Protestant Countries then have been rais'd by Catholicks for any cause whatever in seven Ages before throughout all Christendom And whereas this Indirect Power of the See Apostolick is so much traduced as derogatorie from the Rights of Kings the Histories of this last confused Age do manifest that even this Power is and hath been rather a Fortress to Princes against their Rebellions Subjects Yet Id. pag. 22. he is unwilling to speak too plain and therefore tells us that as for the Popes Indirect Power over Kings in Ordine ad Spiritualia to Censure and Deprive Kings I leave that Question to be decided by the two Supreme Powers viz. Pope and King when occasion shall be for it And then probably our Author will declare for the Pope as some Priests did in Queen Elizabeths time anno 1582. Lastly for in these assertions a man might be endless one in his Animadversions upon Dr. Bates and his Elenchus Motuum in which the Doctor is sometimes partial or faulty this a Elenchus Elenchi pag. 17 20 21. Animadvertor I say will by all means have it to be an old and false Calumny to think that the Romanists were not always the best Subjects But words are cheap and why did he not Answer my positive proofs against it as well as make b Id. pag. 26. use of my Book to shew the villany of our Non-conformists and by them to insinuate a discredit of our Church of England to those beyond Seas who through ignorance may suppose the Presbyterians to be true sons of our Church But what they cannot answer some make it prudence to pass by with silence and then the Gentile Romanist who seldom troubles himself with reading any thing but what makes for himself faileth not to vapour that his Champion hath got the day putting most of his confidence in the Title-page seldom or never examining the honesty or exactness of the Writer Thus self-interest perswades and then assures him of the Conquest so that with him to write against the Church of England is the same to confute and confound Thus we see how they would cunningly bear the people in hand what peaceable men they are what good subjects they are and always make a noise of their Obedience and Loyalty as a main Argument to perswade our Kings to embrace their Religion But as for us of the Church of England alas we are nothing but Traytors and Rebels Treachery and Sedition being the chief Articles of our Faith whilst at Rome nothing is taught but peace and loyalty And if we must believe Father Parsons we must thus know the difference of the two Religions for with the Romanists out of England c Three Convers of Engl. part 2. pag. 581 582. All Modestie
Gravitie Learning Pietie Devotion Peace Concord Vnitie and Charitie was carryed away And in the new Gospelling Ship came in all the contrary vices namely of Sedition Division Pride Temerity Curiosity Novelties Sensuality Impiety and Atheism But Quis tulerit Gracehos de seditione querentes Juv. Sat. 2. Who can with patience hear A Guizard blame a Scotish Covenanteer The Ostrich with great pains and ostentation of his Feathers endeavours to make a great flight yet cannot get an inch higher from the ground like the lying Hypocrite whose goodly shews and cheats will little avail him The Jesuits tell us that the Founder of their Order Ignatius Loyola imitated the Devil using all his tricks sleights cheats and cunning to convert Souls Jo. Pet. Maffeius in vita Ignat. l. 3. c. 11 as the other did in perverting of them And I wish some of his Disciples had not made use of Falsities to inveigle and abuse their Proselytes All is not Gold that glisters nor all good Ware that is commended by a fair-Tongued Sales-man and when you see a Religious face suspect a knavish heart Our English Fugitives made the people at Rome believe that in Queen Elizabeths days there Sir Geo. Paul's life of Archbishop Whitgift p. 79. § 116. was no Church or Bishop standing in England but that the people heard their Ministers in Woods and Fields amongst Trees and Brute Beasts The Spaniards were made believe that here they worshipt the Devil When 1623. 5 of November according to the Roman account the Chamber fell at Black fryers killing by its fall almost an hundred with Father Drury the Jesuit their Preacher some had the impudence to print beyond Seas as if the story had been a judgement of God upon some Protestant Hereticks in Holborn How oft have they printed the lye about the Nags-head Consecration and belyed Bishop Morton as if he acknowledged the truth of it in a Speech in Parliament We need not tell what Tales they have publish'd of the Deaths of Beza Calvin Luther Henry VIII Queen Elizabeth nay some had the confidence to give out that King a Vid Purchas Pilgrimage l. 9. c. 3. pag. 831. Edit 1614. James was turn'd Romanist and had sent to the Pope about it And to conclude this no less man then Monsieur de la Milletiere hath without question truely placed King Charles the Martyr in Heaven but had a great deal of Assurance when he could hint and insinuate to us as if the said King dyed in the b La victoire de la verité Epist au Roy de la Gr. Brit. p. 78 79 80. Roman Religion And as for his affirming that none can go to c Second Discourse Politick p. 37. Heaven but of the Roman Church I believe it like the former stories and so joyn it with them and so he might have spared his pains in dedicating them to King Charles II. But Gentlemen to take off these slanders from my Mother the Church of England the freest from establish'd blemishes of any in the World and as we say to set the Saddle upon the right Horse was this Treatise by way of a retort undertaken And for my so doing I need no other Apology then the words of your own d Protestants Apol. Preface to the Reader § 7. Mr. John Brerely or as some think Anderton thus Being therefore thus provoked or rather urged it will not I hope seem offensive to the Discreet and Sober Romanist against whose confess'd loyalty I hereby intend nothing if I but a little examine not what I can or am provoked to object but what is by our Learned Adversaries themselves confess'd and reported on the contrary part Wherein courteous Reader if much contrary to my disposition and thy liking I do somewhat enlarge my self in more fully opening those things I am not without all hope of Pardon especially considering that the foresaid Occasion which compelleth me so unwilling thereof is in it self so provoking uncharitable and exceeding But here it may be objected by some Roman Catholicks that in the following Assertions and Histories of King-deposing I do but belye and slander them falsifie and corrupt mine Authors and so cheat and abuse my Readers For the Romanists forsooth never taught disobedience to Magistrates never allowed Kings to be deposed nor could the Pope and Cardinals the true a Mar. de Alteriis de Censuris Eccles Tom 1. lib. 5. disp 14. cap. 1. pag. 655. Representives of the Roman Church being infallible especially in such solemn things as Bulls and Breves publish such destructive Doctrines In Answer to this Charge I hope I shall return enough to clear my self by affirming first that the Doctrine or words are none of mine but their own as appeareth by the Quotations of their Authors Secondly If in the multitude of these Citations I have by haste or chance not by designe mistaken some it no way contradicts the Doctrine it self which is held so Universally by them as will appear presently hereafter by the Testimonies and Confessions of the Romanists themselves Thirdly That herein I do not intend all that pretend to be the sons of the Roman Religion there being both in England and France many Noble and worthy Persons of that Perswasion who do detest and abhor this King-deposing Principle But whether in so doing the Pope doth look upon them as true sons to him and his Church I shall leave to the determination of the Romanists themselves And if in this there be any doubt or dispute we may suppose the Pope Cardinals and their chiefest Doctors about them may best understand the meaning of their Roman Church and so more capable to decide the Question which is one reason that I all along use the word Romanists as those adhering to the Church at Rome or that which is taught there by the Pope as true Doctrine Fourthly For the better Confirmation of this Assertion I have shew'd and proved these Treasonable Positions from above two hundred of their own approved Authors But if this number be not sufficient b Sexcentae doctorum Pontificum Myâ—â—ades omnibus Eloquentiae nervis â—nixissimè laborant persuadere à summis pendere Pontificibus usum Imperialis Gladii Regios sasces dare adimi Romani Praesulis arbitratu Jul. Taboet Ephemerid Hist Tom. 2. pag. 30. Julianus Taboetius a French Civilian doth assure us long ago that there had been six hundred thousand famous Writers in behalf of the Pope's Authority to Depose Kings and Emperors at his pleasure Fifthly You shall plainly see that it is not I that lay these King-deposing Principles to your Charge but your own selves or Brethren the Chieftains of your Church So if you deny the Point do not say that I have slander'd you but rather say that your Popes as Gregory VII Boniface VIII Sixtus V Pius V c. rather say that your Cardinals as Bellarmine Baronius Allen Rather say that your Saints as
from Rome when this point cometh to a pinch and a serious debate then we shall see some of them like Coton and the other French Jesuits to have two Consciences one at Rome and another at home As when any mischief is done the Childe cryeth Nobody did it thereby thinking to secure it self so now when some Kings and Princes have look'd upon this King-deposing Doctrine as wicked and dangerous we have some of the secular Priests and some French of a freer humour will throw all the fault upon the Jesuit and would gladly make the world believe that all other Roman Catholicks are innocent as to these accusations being true Subjects to their Prince and Enemies to Treason or Sedition and that the contrary Principles are onely taught by the Jesuits to which Order many other Catholicks having no good will make it their business to expose them as much as they can and this Quarrel is now grown to such an height that there appears no signes of a Reconciliation which every day weakens the Papal Authority and may in time squeez that jurisdiction within its own narrow limits The truth is some other Orders think the Jesuits carry too high an hand and others suppose them too busie and active in State-affairs and have been the Fomenters of many troubles and Wars in Europe to which purpose I meet with this biting Character Martem norunt animare Et Tumultus suscitare Inter Reges sedare Tanquam sancti adorantur Tanquam Reges dominantur Tanquam Fures depraedantur Dominantur temporale Dominantur spirituale Dominantur omnia male Hos igitur Jesuitas Nebulones Hypocritas Fuge si Coelica quaeras Vita namque Christianv Abhorret ab hoc doctrina Tanquam ficta Insana Another will offer these Anagrams upon the word JESUITA ES VITIA and SEVITIA I non es vita at VITIA ES mortis Imago Et Saevitia dans vim tibi nomen erit But this following for its brevity and pithiness may carry away the Bell Seductor Sueco Gallo Sicarius Anglo Proditor Imperio Explorator Davus Ibero Italo adulator dixi teres ore Suitam Nay the very Spaniards though great admirers of the Papal Prerogative and might have some respect for this Order their Founder Ignatius being their Countryman yet have some pique against them as appears by this Libel found in the Spanish Court by way of the Jesuits Ten Commandments Los Mandamientes de los Teatinos Mas humanos son que Divinos 1. Adquirir mucho dinero 2. Sugetar todo el mundo 3. Buen Capon y buen Carnero 4. Comprar Barato y vender caro 5. Con el blanco aguar el tinto 6. Tener siempre el lomo en siesto 7. Guardarse bien del sereno 8. Obrar lo suyo y lo ageno 9. Hazar del Penetente esclavo 10. Mesclarse en casas d'estado Estos diez Mandamientes se encierran en dos Todo para mi y nada para vos The Ten Commandments the Jesuits signe Are far more Humane then they are Divine 1. Great Riches see you do procure 2. Bring the whole world to your lure 3. Eat fat Capons and the best cheer 4. Buy but cheap yet sell full dear 5. Water your red wine with white 6. Lye with ease and warmth at night 7. Keep you from th' ill evening ayres 8. Do your own and others affairs 9. Make slaves of your Penitents 10. Plot in State-deeds and Events These Ten Commandments are thus made two All for my self nothing at all for you But too much of this Learned Order whose exact or Blinde Obedience as their Founder words it is maligned by some others Caeca Obedientia who have faults enough of their own and make a clamour against these Fathers not that the other are of sounder principles but thereby to turn people eyes upon another Object that their own faults might not be take notice of But though Clark and Watson the two secular Priests ranted dapperly against the Jesuits as the onely Teachers and Instructors of Sedition and Treason yet scarce was a year turn'd round but these pretended good Subjects were taken napping in Rebellion and accordingly had their reward And as for the Tenents of the Jesuits I finde the Fathers Reply to that Objection that a On dira tousiours que Bellarmine Gretserus les Peâ—es Jesuites en corps en particulier ne croyent ne croyront n' enseignent n' enseigneront autre chose que ce qu' en croit l'Eglise Responce Apologetique à l'Anticoron pag. 90. neither Bellarmine Gretserus nor any other particular Jesuit whatsoever do teach any thing but what is held for a truth and believed by the Church it self What they mean by the Church of Rome we have told you from themselves formerly and 't is certain that according to History the Pope hath been so active in maintaining this King-deposing Doctrine and so furious and active with his Sword that even honest Pasquin thought himself obliged to keep to the Proverb Whilst thou art at Rome do as they do And thus to Apologize Hâ—nr Estten â—pol pour Hered p. 382. for the Pope and answer all Objections Quum tibi non aetas habilis sit Caeraphe bello Et castris habeas cognita claustra magis Quum desit miles bellique pecunia uervus Quis te praecipitem cogit ad arma furor Infirmis humeris damnata quid induis arma Quae tibi cum libeat ponere non liceat Cur respirantem curantem vulnera mundum Concutis Martem solus ad arma cies Da miseris requiem spatium concede malorum Si nobis Pater es si tua cura sumus Conde senex gladium Christi reminiscere berbi Quod dixit Petro dixit ille tibi To this Pasquino one would think a doughty Romanist thus returns an answer in behalf of his Holiness Quod dixit Petro Christus nolim esse putetis Dictum Pontificum pace Petrique mihi Nam neque sum Petri successor nec quoque talem Agnoscit bona pars Christicolorum hodie Pauli ego successu coeptis meliore deinceps Dii faveant sumpsi nomen arma simul Et Christi verbi memor intrepidusque minister NON VENI PACEM MITTERE SED GLADIVM And now Gentlemen though at the beginning I gave you I hope good Reasons for this my undertaking yet because the other discourses intervening might possibly dash them out of your memories give me leave to reminde you of them with this previso that I think my Mother the Church of England a good Church and the King our Soveraign a true and lawful Kâ—ng And therefore in short when I finde a compact amongst your b Jesuits never to give over their attempts till they have â—tâ—er ruin'd themselves or reduced England to their Romish obedence When I finde a S. W. Schism disarmed pag. 181. you declare that our Kings have forfeited the claim to the Title of the
him preach That another time the said St. Francis though very weak and sick of a Quartain Feaver and in the midst of a very cold Winter yet put off all his Cloaths his Breeches excepted commanded one Peter Catanai to tye a p Id. l. 2. p. 320. Rope about his neck and so to drag him to the place where Malefactors used to suffer which accordingly was done and all this ado because he had eat a little flesh and sup'd some flesh-broth And suchlike Marks of Holiness are these Fryar q Id. l. 1. p. 69 John would do every thing that he saw St. Francis do whether it were kneeling spitting c. And indeed this Father of the Minorites would have all his Flock obedient to him were it never so ridiculous Thus he turned off one because he did not plant or set his r Id. pag. 241 242. Coleworts with their Roots upwards and the Leaves in the ground as he had done Another time he bad one of them Å¿ Ibid. strip himself stark-naked to dig a deep hole and to put himself into it which being done St. Francis cover'd him all over with Earth even to the very beard Then he asked him if he were not dead Yes quoth the poor Fryar I am dead Then saith Francis Rise up for though thou be'st dead yet thou ought in every thing to obey me To these we might adde many other of their tokens and sure signs of Christianity as how a Fryar going t Id. p. 83 84. naked to his Covent for which being check'd vindicated himself with this saying As he came naked so he must return How the said Fryar is call'd a Tam Sanctus fuit iste Fratricellus Holy for putting off his Cloaths and going naked into Viterbo How Fryar b Id. l. 2. p. 163. Egidius is commended for having got more Nuts than he could carry in his lap put off all his Cloaths filling them with Nuts and so he went naked into the City And another time he went into a Wood c Id. l. 2. p. 166 167. put off his Cloaths tyed a Cord about his neck bidding another Fryar so to lead him to the Covent which was done where he baul'd out like a great Booby And why might not all these primitive postures be convenient seeing d Id. l. 1. p. 195. St. Francis once told a Fryar that if he would go naked and preach so he should be saved And so I suppose Fryar Juniper so great a friend and familiar with St. Francis bended all his thoughts for the best and speediest way to Heaven when he earnestly desired that he might e Id. l. 1. p. 92 93. stink so that none should be able to come neer him and that he might be thrown into a Ditch there to dye and be eaten up of Dogs Another time they tell us being to dress the Victuals for the other Fryars he f Id. pag. 90. boil'd the Chickens and other Meat together without either washing them or pulling off the Feathers and that this Fryar was cleanly enough we need not question seeing they brag of him that being once nobly entertain'd and laid in a very brave bed he very mannerly and religiously g Id. pag. 88. bewray'd it and stole away next morning without thanking his Landlord which trick had more of a Beast than a Wag in it though they think they do not a little commend him when they call him h Christi jaculatorem Id. l. 2. p. 199. Christs Jeaster or Bouffon an Expression of so much boldness to say no worse that they neither honour their Religion nor their St. Clare by fathering it upon her But besides all this as Poets and the Authors of Romances have the liberty SECT II. Many false Saints that never had being granted them not onely to invent the Tale but also to give what names they please as well to the great lubberly Gyants as the always-conquering valiant Knights with the lovely and inchanted Ladies So here the Romanists making themselves to be of the same Profession take to themselves the same freedom suspecting the number of their true Saints not to be enough or sufficient to compleat the honour of their Church And for a proof of this I shall onely give two or three Instances and that of our own Island Thus they tell us of the Martyrdom of one i Vsuaâ—d Martyrol 9. Febr. and Philip Feâ—rarius Catalog Generaliâ— Sanctorum 8. Fâ—â—r St. Maingoldus a Duke and Son to one Hugh King of England Though I think it would puzzle their best Historians to finde out an English Monarch of that name Yet will they not let this King go by himself but give us another to keep him company and him they call by the name of k Rob. Parsons Calendar Caes Bâ—ron Martyrol Sâ—â—ius Hist Sanctor Guâ—â— Gazet Hist des Saints VII Feb. St. Richard King of England and Nephew to Offa King of the East-Saxons almost a thousand years ago by which means without the help of a Cromwel they have found out a fourth Richard which our Chronicles never dream'd of But to leave off single Testimonies since an Army of no less than eleven thousand invented Saints offer themselves at one view viz. S. Vrsole and her Virgins a story made up of so many contradictions improbabilities not to say impossibilities and abominable lyes that l An. 383. Baronius is at a loss about it and our Country-man m Hist Eccles pag. 35 36. Harpsfeld resolves bravely to believe it though he confesseth he knoweth not how to prove it and yet 't is pretty to observe how England and Scotland both strive to make her theirs But let the story Coryats p. 61â— seem never so improbable the good Catholicks of Colen will not loose the place nor memory of her Martyrdom to perpetuate which they have a large Church built to her bearing her name in which that they also might not want the benefit of her Intercession they in the year 1607. 17. April permitted a Prayer to be printed to her and there hung up in a Table and why not having got a name in the a 21 Octob. Da. Camerar de Regn. Scot. Tho. Demster Roman Calendar And with her they tell us dyed also by Martyrdom one b Pet. de Natal lib. 9. cap. 87. Jac. de Voragine Hist 153. Petr. Merssaeus Catalog Elect Ecclesiast Annal. Archiepisc Colen Sect. 4. Jo. Gault Chron. Chronicor Tom. 1. pag. 1259. Cyriacus of British Extraction and one that was Pope of Rome But Baronius himself is altogether silent concerning him nor do their Pontifick Histories afford us any Pope neer such a name unless we allow of Siricius which could not be the same with the other because a Roman by Birth and no Martyr And thus when their hands are in they scorn to give out lest you SECT III. Many lying Stories and Wonders should fancy their Invention to be so
his Rebellion hath too much of Atheism in him to be a true Christian Thus would these men make the condition of Kings to be like that of Damocles with a drawn Sword hanging over their heads by a slender thred His and the Kingdoms settlement to lye at the mercy and alteration of every hot-brain'd Zealot For let him be of whatsoever Religion yet we see he shall not please and that which should have no Arms but Prayers and Tears must be made a pretence to prove the Devil a Saint and Treason an Article of Faith We have formerly seen how the Romish Favorites do hugely contend in behalf of their a Extra Com. l. 1. Tit. â— c. 1. Unam Sanctam Canon-law that the Pope is b Jer. 1. 10. set over the Nations and over Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down But as if this were not enough to overcloud the Authority of Kings they will allow the people also the power to trample upon their Princes by deposing them and this in few words is acknowledged by c Jus deponendi abdicandi e solio Reges ac Principes non solum Ecclesiae sed interdum populis competere ratione exemplis ostenditur Rut. Benz. Comment in Canticum Magnificat lib. 3. cap. 27. dub 6. pag. 134. Rutilius Benzonius Bishop of their Miraculous Loretto Leonardus Coquaeus endeavouring to prove that the Pope hath power to depose Kings in one place brings his Argument by way of comparison that if d Examen Praefat. monit p. 102. Parliaments do sometimes depose Kings why may not the Pope much more do it And in another place speaks more plain That e Imo judicarem quod non expectata sententia Summi Pontificis posset talem Principem a subditis deponi Id. Pag. 49. without the Pope the subjects themselves may pull their Kings from their Thrones But I warrant you that King James against whom he wrote would never be converted by this French-man Here we have the Brabantine Jesuite Martinus Becanus keep a great deal of clutter about the old worne-out Argument of a mutual compact between King and People and so he would conclude that if Kings do not keep their Promises to their Subjects then the Controvers Angl. p. 133 134 135. people may slip their necks out of Coller and throw by their King and something to this purpose he affords you an old Rime Frangenti fidem fides frangatur eidem But this in this case is a false rule with us being no compact nor the parties equals so that do but translate his Riming Proverb to agree with the cause in hand and we shall see the consequence to be false Don breaks his Troth burns my poor house what then May I his slave go and burn his agen This used to be common Logick to the borderers or Moss-troopers but we see ours if held affirmatively cannot prosper in a setled Kingdom But he goeth farther yet to extol the power of the People affirming that when a King is deposed though there Plus dicam in haec re voluit concensus populi ut etiamsi superesset legitimus haeres cui Regnum deberetur hoc palam omnibus constaret tamen si populus praetermitto legitimo haerede alium delegisset ille alius fuisset verus Rex Mart. Becan Controv. Angl. pag. 120. remaineth a lawful Heir to whom the Kingdom of right doth belong and this too apparently known to all yet if the people do chuse another and throw this Heir aside the other so chosen is the true King Almost an hundred years ago an English-man who calls himself John Rastell Master of Arts and Student of Divinity then living at Lovan a A brief shew of the false wares packâ— together in the named Apologie of the Church of England fol. 9â— wrote against Dr. Jewel in behalf of Dr. Harding or rather as himself saith gathered out of Dr. Hardings Book and if so about this cause take both their Opinions For whereas every Common-wealth is greater than the Prince which governeth it and may depose the same upon lawful cause and whereas Riot and doltishness are causes sufficient so to do as making the Prince unable to govern it well it followeth consequently that if the whole Estate of France deposed Chilperick and erected Pipine there was NO FAULT committed in so doing Now certainly you would think that this Chilperick was a strange Tyrant or that his wickedness must be so great that 't was no fault to take the Crown from him and give it to one of his Subjects that had no right to it nor is this all but the Kingdom by this means changed from one Family to another But we shall finde his enormities not to deserve such punishment that he wanted discretion I believe but then they might have given him an assistant and as for his inclination b Hist de' personaggi illustri Religiosi lib. 3. cap. 18. Essenda di natura piâ— Egli menò vita Angelica Paolo Morigi tells us that he was Godly and peaceful and when he was put into a Monastery that he led an Angelical life Whether there was such an English-man or no as this John Rastell I know not because Pitseus maketh no mention of any such and doth tell us besides that c Pag. 764. William Rastell amongst other things wrote several Books against Bishop Jewel whosoever be the man 't is not much to our purpose though William the Lawyer would have given more credit to the cause though for so doing would somewhat have encreas'd the wonder those who are so much addicted to our Common-law not troubling themselves so much with the Romish Politicks or the niceties of the Schools And so much for Rastell and his friends Doctrine d Recognit lib. de laicis cap. 6. Bellarmine tells us that Martinus ab Azpilcueta the famous Spanish Lawyer was of Opinion that the people never transferr'd their power so much upon and into the Prince but that in some cases they might resume it again from him And of the same judgement doth the Cardinal shew himself in one place that if e Videmus in â—ebus publicis temporalibus si Rex degeneret in Tyranâ—um â—icet sit Caput Regni tamen a populo deponi eligi alium Bellar. de Concil l. 2. c 19. the King turns Tyrant the people may depose him and chuse another And again that f Pendet a consensâ— multitudinis constituere super se Regem vel Consules vel alios Magistratus ut patet si causa legitima adsit potest multitudo mutare Regnum in Aristocratiam aut Democratiam e contrariâ— Bellarm. de laicis lib. 3. cap. 6. 't is the consent of the people that constitutes Kings or other Governments over them and so if cause be given they may turn â—he Kingdom into an Aristocracy or Democracy or the contrary g Defens fid
her in Eighty eight than Pope b Guicciard lib. 6. Alexander did several Cardinals by poysoning them to satisfie his Malice and Avarice XI What small authority hath been allowed to Kings concerning the Church in their own Kingdoms may partly appear by Pope c Nic. Harpsfeld Hist Eccles pag. 431. John the Eleventh who interdicted England and declared King John deprived and so perswaded the French to take the Kingdom from him and why all this onely because the King would not admit of Stephen Langton to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury whom the Pope would thrust into that See against the Kings pleasure King John not thinking it fitting that one who was so great with the French should be of such great trust in his Dominions And yet the Emperours and Kings formerly had always a d Dist 63. C. Agatho C. Hadrianus C. In Synodo C. cum longe Gloss power in the Election not onely of Bishops but Popes also and calling of Councils And several instances might be given of the Emperours deposing of Popes but the Imperial Power appears plain enough in the deprivation of John the Thirteenth by Otho the Great the Italian and other Bishops then assisting and commending him who also deposed Benedict the Fifth And if we consult the practice of the Popes we shall finde that it was not so much the peace of Christendom or the good of Religion that obliged them to proceed against Temporal Princes as to maintain their own pride and greatness and to pleasure a friend or Relation with another mans Dominions XII They also affirm that if a King be lawful both by Title and Possession Fean Suarez def fid l. 3. c. ◠§ â— liâ— 6. c. 4. § 15. Jâ— Aâ—â—â— Câ—â—peasiâ—in Epit. Controvers part 2. Qu. 2. p. 180. Feâ—ardent pag. 95. Dlonys Carthus de Regem Polit. art 19. Guil. Estius Com. in sent lib. 2. pag. 444. Abâ—lens in III Reg. cap. 12. Qu. 4. Eman. Sa Aphorism V. Princeps § 2. V. Tyrannus § 2. Lessius de juâ—itia lib. 2. cap. 9. disp 4. § 12. Pet. de Ledesma Theol. Moral Tract 8. cap. 18. pag. 512. Ad. Tanner Theol. scholast Tom. 3. disp 4. Qu. 8. dub 3. num 32 33. Sebast Heâ—ssius Refut Aphorism pag. 158. § 94. pag. 162. § 97. Andr. de Isern Com. in usus Feâ—dorum Tâ—t Qua sint Regalia V. Monctae pag. 743. Greg. Servantio defesa della potesta Eccles p. 76. Dom. Sâ—â—o de jâ—stitia lib. 5. Qu. 1. art 3. Greg. Sayer clavis Regia lib. 7. cap. 10. § 3. Gr. de Valent. Tom. 3. disp 5. Qu. 8. pâ—net â— Bellarmin de Concil lib. 2. cap. 19. Mich. Salon in D. Tho. Tom. 1. col 1157. Rob. â—enalâ—s de utrâ—usque gladii facultate Tom. 2. pag. 291. Hieron de Medicis in 2. 2. D. Thâ— Qu. 12. art 2. conclus 2. Azor. Instit lib. 10. cap. 8. yet if after he turn a Tyrant and oppress the innocent and good people he may then lawfully be deposed and some of them go a step farther and say he may justly be kill'd And yet their own Histories will assure us that there have been as wicked and cruel Popes as ever there was Temporal Prince in the world XIII If a King be an Heretick or a favourer of Hereticks or if he be negligent in driving Heresie out of his Dominions then may he justly as they say be deposed Fr. Feuardent in Est pag. 90. Jo. Azor. Institut Tom. 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. Id. Lib. 11. cap. 5. Mart. Becanus Controvers Angl. pag. 131 132. Lael Zaecchius Tract Theolog. pag. 82. Gabr. Vasquez in 1. 2. D. Tho. Tom. 2. disp 169. § 42 43. Jos Stephanus de potestate coactiva Rom. Pont. cap. 12. § 17. Dom. Baâ—nes in 2. 2. Qu. 12. art 2. col 478. Ant. Santarill de Haeresi cap. 30. pag. 292 293. Tho. Stapleton Tom. 1. Controv. 3. Qu. 5. art 2. § 4. Fr. Suarez defens fid lib. 6. cap. 4. § 22. Petr. Hurtad de Mendoza scholast disp 21. § 304. St. Raymond Summa lib. 1. Tit. de Haeret. § 7. pag. 41. Leon. Coqâ—â—â—s Examen Prafat pag. 102 103. Rutil Benzon Com. in Cant. Magnificat lib. 3. c. 27. dub 6. p. 134. Jo. Mar. Bellettus disquisit Clerical Part. 1. pag. 282. § 109 110. Hostâ—ens summa lib. 5. Tit. de Haeret. § qua poena fereatur § 11. Ant. Corset de potest Regia Qu. 76. Arnold Albertin Repet in C. Quoniam de Haeret. Qu. 15. § 36. Lud. a Paramo de Origine S. Inquisit lib. 1. Qu. 1. Opin 4. § 55 94 145. Alph. a Castro de jâ—sta Haeret. punit lib. 2. cap. 7. Pet. Câ—â—â—rus de Officio Princip cap. 8. pag. 76 77. Jo. Bapt. Boiard addit ad Julii Clari practic Criminalem Qu. 35. § 6. Pet. de Palude art 4. Jo. Driedo de libertat Christian lib. 1. cap. 14. Lupold de Berbenburg de juâ—ib Regni cap. 12. Tiber. Deâ—ianus Tractat. Criminal lib. 5. c. 52. § 8. Rosella Casuum V. Haereticus § 11. Rob. Bellarmin de Pont. Rom. lib. 5. cap. 7. Id. De translat Imp. lib. 1. cap. 12. Alph. Salmeron Tom. 13. in Epist D. Pauli lib. 1. part 3. disp 12. Jac. Menochius Concil 808. § 76. Adolph Schulckenius Apolog. pag. 546. Gr. Nunnius Coronel de Optimo Reipub. statu pag. 511 545. Card. Allen ' s letter touching the render of Daventer pag. 27 28. Id. Defence of English Catholicks against the book call'd The Execution of Justice pag. 115. Julius Ferrettus de re militari pag. 354. § 26. Jac Simanca de Cathol Institut Tit. 9. § 259. Tit. 23. § 11. Tit. 46. § 74 75. Lud. Molina de justitia Tom. 1. Tract 2. disp 29. col 221. Jo. Ant. Delphinus de potest Eccles pag. 154. Greg. Servantio defesa della potesta Eccles pag. 68 76. Petr. de Ledesm Theolog. Moral Tract 1. cap. 7. Conclus 5 6 7. For this supposed crime of Heresie did the Popes endeavour by their Bulls to take the Kingdom from our Henry the Eighth and Queen Elizabeth and from Henry King of Navarre And upon this pretty pretended account was Raymund Earl of Tholouse deprived of his Territories by Innocent the Third Heresie is a common word yet all cannot agree in its application some say Pope * Liberius was an Arrian and Anastatius II was a See Dr. Casaubon's necessity of Reformation pag. 37 38. Vid. Caron Remonstr Hybeâ—norum part 5. cap. 18. p. 18 88 89 c. 98 100 101. held little better John the last of that name amongst other crimes was accused of Heresie by the Council of Constance and that Popes may be Heretical needs no dispute because that their own Writers confess that they may also be deposed for that Crime XIV If a King be either Negligent or Insufficient or Effeminate or Jo. Ant Delphinus de potest Eccles p. 158. Camil. Gallinius de verborum signif l. 10. c. 17. § 24 25. Greg. Servantio defesa
incourage their attendance and pains as also for Factors in Forreign paâ—ts to buy up Books but all these things being vanish'd by the death of that famous Prince it would be well if some Noble Benefactors in this covetous Age would think upon and raise to themselves a famous remembrance by their liberality this way to the publick Library in Oxford which though already it exceeds any yet in the World for number of Books and free access I wish never abused yet it may want some thousands of Books for having no fit stipend to make yearly recruites from Franckfort and other places To this I could wish that we were as busie in printing all the Councils the better to discover the fraud in some Editions as the Romanists beyond Seas are it being a hard case that otherwise we must relye upon their Editions and we are not ignorant of unhandsome dealings amongst them in this very business Binius we know takes some of his counsels verbatim out of Baronius one very partial and hath left several necessary things out in his Volumns because against the Church of Rome which were set down by Crabbe now two hard to be got and several Councils especially of our own Nation are not completed in the late Parisian Edition in 36 Tomes besides L' Abbe the Publisher of them is thought and a See the pernicious consequences of the new Heresie of the Jesuits printed 1666 p. 102 103 104 105 c. judged to be very partial To these I could wish a careful review and reprinting of the Fathers since we finde our selves at a loss in their Antwerp Colen and some other Editions and those of Erasmus by Froben at Basil and other old Editions are hard to be got b Praefat. in Indicem Expurg Lovaniensem Junius tells a story of a notorious cheat done by them upon St. Ambrose and Dr. James at large tells you how they have abused St. Cyprian to which I can speak the more boldly having my self compared several places of him with some old Manuscripts especially that c De simplicitate Prae atorum or de unitate Ecclesiae Book which they make so much use of to prove the Popes Supremacie in which Manuscripts I find not the expressions they brag most of and father upon St. Cyprian which may allow us to suspect some strange dealings by addition from their own heads Dr. James once in a Convocation at Westminster moved strongly for these reviews and reprinting of the Fathers c. but private interest and faction was too strong either to bestow so much cost or time upon such a noble and publick design And to these I could wish that there were some care taken to reprint some of the Ancient Historians of Church and State the want of which in time may put us to a loss in dealing with our Adversaries the old Editions being very hard to come by we must then if care be not taken to the contrary be content to make use of such false and spurious ware as our Enemies will thurst upon us And that this complaint is not without good reason many instances might be brought of their abusing us in this sort But at this time for Example sake I shall onely make use of one viz. Aubertus Miraeus of Brabant a great Antiquary and a famous Schollar and one that hath been much read in Church-History for which things he hath got a fame amongst the Learned his several works having been greedily read of all sorts and that with some repute to the Author This great and noted man nay and a Church-man too being Canon of Antwerp can we think that his study was to deceive Posterity and publickly endeavour to cheat the world with his or the inventions of others Well do but peruse his Edition of Sigebertus that ancient Historian of above 500 years standing and amongst other places look upon him in the years 773 and 4 compare them with other old Editions and see how he hath sometimes cut off sometimes added and other times perverted the true sence and all this to take away some authority from the Emperour But to this may be objected that he followed some ancient Manuscripts or other 't is true 't is an objection with himself soon made but what small reason we have to believe this onely saying so shall be left to the judgement of any man by this following story This Miraeus also set forth a d Notitia Episcopatuum Register or Breviary of Bishopricks with some small Annotations of his own and because formerly there hath been some dispute of these things that this Tract of his may carry the more Authority with it In his very Title Page he assures all the world that this his Notitia is printed a Ex vetusto Codice ante annos fere quingentosscripto according to an Manuscript almost 500 years old And why may we not believe this good man of Bruxels for if Antiquity study to cheat the world with false Copies well may others who are apt to take things upon trust run into errors and I fear this dealing hath too much power upon Faith and Religion But to shew this to be a villanous forgery I shall pass by other Countries and onely come to our own of England though methinks 't is odd if this Manuscript be so ancient that he should not put down Dunkeld in Scotland as well as Ross Brechin and Dunblane since they were all founded by one and the same King viz. that pious and vertuous King David who gave so much to the Church from his own Crown-lands But to make the knavery more visible le ts see his dealing and ignorance of England In which I shall not trouble my self with his naming Chester or Glocester amongst our Bishopricks because formerly some of the Bishops of Liechfield were ignorantly call'd Bishops of Chester because one or two of them once lived there and some think that Glocester was an Episcopal See in or before the Saxons time but not under that name but Cluviensis But waving these though good enough to discover the cheat I desire the Reader to consider this following against which there can be no exception viz. if this Manuscript was almost 500 years old how comes it to fet down fâ—r Bishopricks in England Peterburgh Oxford and Bristol when none of them were made Episcopal Sees till Henry the Eighth's time little above sixty years before Miraeus set out this false Notitia These cheats should oblige us to study prevention in time otherwise hereafter they may run us down by their false Fathers and other Authorities and when they have thus forced us onely to the protection of Scriptures an endless dispute may begin about the variae lectiones by which means the poor people and truth may be abused by both parties But since they stand most upon Authority and Quotations 't is fitting we should be more careful that they do not cheat us with false play But
also absolve by the Authority of God and Vs all you Bishops from that promise whereby you were bound contrary to the Constitution of the Church for the observation of them And then he rehearseth the said six Constitutions in controversie between the King and Him and then nameth several persons of Quality whom he did thereby Excommunicate Of these things he also giveth the Pope notice repeating in a manner the same reproaches against the King with an additional Id. § 34. commendation that he grows worse and worse whom he was also resolved to Excommunicate Upon this the English Bishops write to Thomas how they had once some hopes of a peace hearing how he gave himself to prayer fasting c. The way to recover the Id. § 43. benefits of a peaceable reconciliation hereby was conceived an hope that you might from above bring into his Majesties heart such favour that he would out of Kingly mercy relent in his wrath towards us and never recall to minde the injuries offer'd by reason of your departure Your friends and well-wishers regain'd some access unto his Majesty whilst these things were thus divulged of you insomuch as he graciously admitted all such as were suitors for restoring you into his former favour But now by the relation of some we understand which we cannot but with grief remember that you published against him a severer Commination wherein you let pass all salutation wherein you practice no Counsel or Petition for Grace wherein you neither advise nor write any thing that savoureth favourably but with all extremity do rigorously menace Interdiction or Excommunication against him Which were it as sharply executed as it is bitterly spoken we should not then hope for peace but should fear to be inflamed with an irrevocable and eternal hatred Thus whilst as it were with a drawn sword you joyn battle you have not left for your self any place for Petition Wherefore O Father we charitably advise you not to heap labours upon labours and injuries upon injuries but setting threatning aside you would rather imbrace patience and humility Commend your cause to Divine Clemencie and your self to the grace and mercy of your Soveraign and in so doing you shall heap and cast together coals of fire upon the heads of many It is better to be highly commended for voluntary poverty than to be openly taxed by all men for ingratitude for a received Benefit It is deeply rooted into the mindes of all men how gracious our Lord the King hath been unto you unto how great dignity he hath rais'd you from poor degree and received you into his favour so freely and frankly as the ample bounds of his Dominions reaching from the Northern Sea to the Pyrenean Mountains were by him so absolutely subject unto your power as through all those Principalities they were onely accounted happy who could finde but favour in your sight And that no worldly mutability might overthrow your prosperity and glory he laid your foundation most firm in the possession belonging to God And notwithstanding his Mother disswaded the Kingdom cryed out against it and the Church of God so far as she could sighed and groan'd thereat he indeavoured by all means possibly to raise you unto the dignity of your present preferment hoping he should hereafter Reign blessedly and enjoy your assistance and counsel with exceeding security If therefore where he expected security to defend him he shall finde a sword to offend What rumour will be spread of you by all men what a reward what a remembrance will this be of a requital never heard of before Forbear therefore if you please to wrong your fame forbear to injure your Renown and indeavour to overcome with humility your King and your son with charity c. And at the end tells him of his preposterous and rash Excommunication of the a â—ocelin Bishop and b John of Oxford Dean of Salisbury before the offence was examin'd A new order of Judgement and hitherto in the Laws and Canons as we hope unknown first to condemn and then to examine the offence The English Bishops write also to the Pope giving great commendations of their King and telling the Pope the occasion and story of these troubles between Henry and Thomas viz. How that the King finding sometimes the peace of his Kingdoms not a little molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clerks with due reverence to the Clergy referred their offences to the Bishops Judges of the Church that one sword might assist another and that the Spiritual Power might confirm and establish in the Clergy that peace which he maintain'd in the people Wherein the zeal of each party appear'd more plainly the Bishops affirming that murther or any other like crime should onely be punished in the Clergy by degradation The King on the contrary being of opinion that this punishment did not sufficiently answer the offence neither was it provision enough for maintenance of peace if a a Lector aut Acolythus Reader or sub-Deacon killing some famous man renowned for Religion or Dignity should escape free with loss onely of this Order The Clergy therefore upholding the b i. e. of holy Orders or Clergy Order established from Heaven and our Lord the King persecuting onely the offence as we hope with a just haetred and intending to plant his peace more deeply a certain holy contention arose amongst us which we trust the plain and honest intention of both parties may excuse Hereupon not with any ambition of inlarging his Dominions not with any conceit of oppressing the Churches Liberties but with a desire of setling and confirming peace it went so far that the King would produce to light the Customs of his Kingdom and Dignities anciently observed and quietly and reverently yeilded by persons Ecclesiastical to former Kings in the Kingdom of England and to the end that hereafter no longer the thred of contention might be spun he would have the same openly known Wherefore the most ancient Bishops and great Peers of the Realm being first sworn by their faith and the hope which they had in Almighty God and then making search into the state of fore-passed times the Dignities of the Crown being sought were laid open and by the testimonies of men of the greatest accompt in the Kingdom were published Loe here the cruelty of our Lord the King against the Church of God which fame hath so spread over the whole world Behold here his persecution And these are the works so divulged for wicked both here and every where And then they tell him how willing the King is to be advised by the Church that peace might be And truly Father our sollicitation had long since as we hope obtain'd the desir'd end of this wished peace had not our Father the Lord of Canterburies bitter provocations stir'd up afresh this discord now laid asleep and almost absolutely extinguished For he from whose patience we hitherto expected peace
per Tho. White Mayor of Waterford These two Letters you may see in the honourable a Pacata Hibernla lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 142 143 144 145. Sir George Carew afterwards Earl of Totnes but with some mistakes by the Printer wherefore I have followed the Authentick Manuscript Copies whence he took his And thus much for the troubles in Ireland till we come to the next Century Though here it may not be amiss to add that several of the Irish Nobility either by the Queens or their own instigations conveyed themselves over to be Instructed in our English Universities as M S. Matriculâ— Antiqua Univers Oxon. Richard Bourke Baron of Dunkellyn studies at Christ-Church after this his Brother Thomas Baron of Dunkellyn at Magdalen Colledge Bernard Orwoirk a Knights son of Conaught at New-Colledge and Thadeus Bryan an Earls son at Lincolne Colledge in Oxford and in Cambridge I finde the Lord b Sir George Paule's life of Archbishop Whitgift p. 17. § 35. Dunboy's son at Trinity Colledge under the Tuition of the then Dr Whitgift afterwards the careful and worthy Archbishop of Canterbury So at the beginning of King James his Raign Henry O Brian Baron of Bryken and his younger Brother Brian O Brian entred themselves together in Brazen-Nose Colledge in Oxford Thus was the Kingdom of Ireland by the well bringing up of their Nobility designed to be well civiliz'd that they might the more appear like men and Christians which would the better oblige them to their Queen and her Government This makes it convenient to nurture up your very Enemies the better to reclaim them in Religion Learning and Morality But Sir John Perot was out in his Politicks when he taught the Irish the use of Arms whereby they afterwards became more formidable to the English and put them to far greater troubles and straits to reduce them to obedience The end of the Sixth Book A CONTINUATION OF THE REBELLIONS AND Treasonablepractices OF THE ROMANISTS IN ENGLAND From the year MD to MDC BOOK VII CHAP. I. The Supreme HEAD of the Church King Henry VIII declared deprived of his Dominions BEing now come to England here we might finde matter year 1500 enough of the Papal malice to make up a large Volume but herein we must studie brevity and in so doing leave the particular Relation of Fights and Tumults to other Writers But first a word by the by concerning Henry VIII who procured to himself a great deal of ill will by declaring himself an absolute King over all his Subjects by being Supreme Head under Christ both of Church and State within his Dominions At this many of his Subjects boyl and grew scrupulous would finde many faults which were neither made nor intended and so cry down what was never set up Queen Elizabeth willing to give them content left out the word Head which was the main word they started at and was call'd the a 1 Elizabethae cap 1. Supream Governour of this Realm and of all other her Highness Dominions and Countries as well in Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And in the form for Bidding Prayers thus b Q Elâ—z â—â—â—â—nctions anno 155â— Supreme Governour of this Realm as well in Causes Ecclesiastical as Temporal At this the Romanists not onely took exceptions but falsely spread abroad that by this Title the Kings or Queens of England took upon them to be in c Adeâ— quidâ—m 〈…〉 in administran lis Sacramentis sacerdotalem potestatem arrogari Sanders de 〈…〉 vâ—d pag. 316 317. Insoâ—uch as if He i. e the King pleaseth he 〈…〉 personaâ—ly Râ—flâ—ctions upon the Oaths of Supremacie and Allegiâ—â—â— â—wâ—g 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Orders might adminâ—ster the Sacraments and had Sacerdotal Qualifications and Authority To take away this Rub and the better to satisfie the people the Qâ—â—â—n and her Convocation published this following Interprâ—â—â—â—ion An Admonition to simple men deceived by Malitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majesty being informed that in certain places of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sundry of her Native Subjects being callâ—d Ec 〈…〉 Miniâ—try of the Church be by sinister perswasion and 〈…〉 induced to finde some scruple in the form of 〈…〉 by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be 〈…〉 persons for the Recognition of their Allegiance 〈…〉 which certainly never was ever meant nor by any 〈…〉 or good sence can be thereof gathered would that 〈…〉 subjâ—cts should understand that nothing was is or 〈…〉 meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other Du 〈…〉 or Bond required by the same Oath then was ackâ—â—wâ—â—â—ged to be due to the most Noble Kings of famous memorie 〈…〉 the VIII her Majesties Father or King Edward the 〈…〉 Brother 〈…〉 her Majestie forbiddeth all manner her Subjects to 〈…〉 credit to such perverse and malicious persons which 〈…〉 maliciousâ—ie labour to notifie to her loving Sub 〈…〉 of the said Oath it may be collected that the 〈…〉 of this Realm Possessors of the Crown may 〈…〉 and Power of Ministrie of Divine Service in 〈…〉 her said Subjects be much abused by such evil 〈…〉 〈…〉 her Majestie neither doth nor ever will châ—llenge 〈…〉 theâ— that was challenged and latelie used by the 〈…〉 Kings of famous Memorie King Henry the VIII and 〈…〉 VI which is and was of ancient time due to 〈…〉 of this Ream that is under God to have the 〈…〉 Rule over all manner of persons born within 〈…〉 â—ominions and Countries of what Estate ei 〈…〉 Temporal soever they be so as no other Forraign Power shall or ought to have any Superioritie over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sence of the form of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this Interpretation sence or meaning her Majestie is well pleased to accept everie such in that behalf as her good and obedient Subjects and shall acquit them of all manner of Penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorilie or obstinatelie take the same Oath And as if this were not authentick enough she took care that this interpretation of hers should be confirm'd by Act of Parliament in this following Proviso Provided also that the Oath expressed in the said Act made in V Elizabetha cap. 1. the said first year shall be taken and expounded in such form as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Injunctions published in the first year of her Majesties Reign that is to say to confess and acknowledge in her Majestie her Heirs and Successors none other Authoritie then that was challenged and lately used by the Noble King Henry the eighth and King Edward the Sixth as in the said Admonition more plainly may appear And as if this were not satisfactory she provided to have the Interpretation of this Oath thus inserted amongst our Articles of Religion thereby the better to demonstrate how far we are from giving any Priestly Function to our Soveraigns XXXVII Of the Civil
Abbots Priors and Lady Abbesses and the whole number of these Roman-Nonconformists would not amount to 200. But waving her Religion I finde the greatest crime objected to her is her cruelty against others for their opinions in Religion and with this her Adversaries have made no little noise in the world To this I shall return some satisfaction with as much brevity as can be all this being but a digression and by the by As for several years of her Reign not one Priest had suffered death so when they did as afterwards I fear many of them are yet held for blessed Martyrs who justly dyed as wicked Traytors And in this I would have the unbyass'd Romanists but to consider That even long before the Reformation a 25 Edw. 3. cap. 2. IT was Treason to compass or imagine the death of the King the Queen or their eldest Son and Heir b Ib. It was â—reason to Leavie war against the King or to adhere to the Kings enemies or to give to the said Enemies aid or comfort c Cokes Institut part 3. chap. 36. 13 Rich. 2. Stat. 2. cap. 2. It was Felony to bring or send into the Kingdom any Summons Sentence or Excommunication against any person of what condition soever d 16 Rich. 2. cap. 5. He incur'd a Praemunire that got such Bulls or Excommunications from the Pope e Coke part 3. chap. 84. None was to go out of the Realm or beyond seas without the Kings leave or license f Of these things see more at large in Coke's Institut part 3. cap 36. and his Reports part 5. fol. 12 15 17 21 22 23 27 28. and Bishop Bramhals just vindication of the Church of England from Schism cap. 4. It was of old expresly against the Law of the Land to procure or bring in any Bull of Excommunication against any subject much more in all reason against the Soveraign in respect it gave way to Forreign Authority the Popes Excommunications according to our old Laws being of no force in England g Coke Institut part 3. cap. 67. It was not lawful for any Subject of England to take a Pension c. of any forreign King Prince or State without the Kings license although the said Princes or States be in Peace or League with England Let the honest Romanist farther consider that before any Priest did suffer death it was Enacted that a 28 Hen 8. cap. 10. and 5 Eliz. c. 1. THey should incur a Praemunire who did any ways assert or teach the Pope to have jurisdiction over or in this Kingdom b 26 Hen. 8. c. 13. It was Treason for any to write or affirm the King to be an Heretick Infidel Schismatick Tyrant or Vsurper c 13 Eliz. c. 2. It was Treason to bring procure or publish any Bull from Rome d 13 Eliz. c. 2. It was a Praemunire so to acknowledge the Popes jurisdiction as to bring or procure from him any Agnus Dei Crosses Beads or Pardons being trinkets and trifles of themselves not worth a Rush but as they are held privy Tokens of Papal Obedience or Allegiance Here we see a fair way of Caution and he is a madman and no Martyr who will needs hasten his own death when neither God nor man requires any such indiscreet Zeal at his hands Christianity and Salvation being not destroy'd by these Laws the substance of them being in force when the Romanists themselves confess England was of their side and the Law-givers declare as appears by the Prefaces to the Acts that these Regalities and Laws tended for the better Government Constitution Peace and happiness of the Kingdom of which we are to suppose them to be best Judges seeing no Article of Faith confirm'd either by the Holy Scriptures or the Primitive Church were null'd or made void by these Statutes Yet the better to expose the Queen and render her actions odious all the world over they were very careful to publish what lyes they could of her pretended cruelties amongst whom we may account John Gibbins Robert Parsons Jesuits and John Fen Priest who were the chief Authors of that Pamphlet call'd Concertatio Ecclesiae in Anglia Add to them the Book call'd Ecclesiâ—e Anglicanae Trophaea drawn in Pictures in the English Collâ—â—ge at Rome by Nicholao Circini ingraven by Jo. Bapt. de Cavalleriis and publish'd by Gregory XIII his Approbation anno 1584. where people are said to be worryed in Bears skins c. and printed by Bartolomeo Grasso To vindicate the English-Romanists from the false Aspersions and falsities against their Soveraign and Country mention'd in this Book I finde a e Over throw of the Protestants Pulpit-â—abels against Mr. â—â—â—shaâ— pag. 10. Romanist I. R. whether May the Priest I know not though I am f Tho. James corrupt â—â— Fathers in the Appendix to the Reader told that such an one wrote against Mr. Crashaw as this also diâ— to offer something by affirming that there was never any such Book printed in the English Colledge at Rome But nothing is got by this since it cannot be deny'd but that the foresaid Book was printed at Rome and publish'd by the Popes express Authority as appears by his Breve prefixt And farther the foresaid supposed cruelties were painted upon the Colledge-Walls by Nich. Circini by order and appointment of the English there Nor need we trouble our selves to shew the disaffection of the English of that Colledge to their Queen and Country seeing Histories do testifie their Actions and a A. Mundy the English Roman liâ—e Travelers their railing and bitter words To these we may add Richard Verstegan who put forth a Book call'd Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum Nostri Temporis where in his Pictures he offers to view the former lying Bear-skin Tales Of this man because he afterwards afforded some light to Antiquities and our Historians are silent of his life and extraction a word or two by the by His Grand-father was call'd Theodore Rowland Verstegan born in Gelder-landt came into England about the latter end of King Henry VII marryed here and presently after dyed leaving a Son nine months old who afterwards to get a livelihood took upon him the profession of a Cooper in London Nor is this any discredit Wolfangus Musculus his Father being of that Trade This Cooper was Father to our Richard Verstegan which Richard was born in the Parish of St. Catherines in London he gave himself to the study of good Letters and imployed himself in Painting which makes me think that he engraved the Cuts in his own Books as the Learned Hevelius doth now Being a Zealous Romanist he left England went into the Spanish Netherlands where he compos'd the foresaid Theatrum Crudelitatum the Verses were made by b Vid. Delic Poet. Belg. vol 1. pag. 760 761 762 c. Johannes Bochius born at Bruxels but if I mistake not Register to Antwerp Afterwards the Rebellious League
and imprisoned and the Oath offer'd him which he freely took Cardinal Bellarmine upon notice of this writes a long Letter to Blackwell telling him how joyous the news of the Imprisonment seem'd to him because forsooth now you draw near unto the glory of Martyrdom than the which there cannot be a gift of God more happy and therefore bids him for the comfort of the Church be valiant and stout 'T is easie giving advice afar off but the Cardinal did not care to put himself into the danger of Hereticks ever since he assisted the Rebellious League against the French King But there is one thing that clouds all this Rejoycing viz. that Blackwell should take the Oath This troubles the Cardinal who tells the Arch-Priest That the Oath is so craftily composed that no man can detest Treason against the King and make profession of his Civil subjection but he must be constrained perfidiously to deny the Primacy of the Apostolick See But the Servants of Christ and especially the Chief Priests of the Lord ought to be so far from taking an unlawful Oath where they may endamage the Faith that they ought to beware that they give not the least suspition of Dissimulation that they have taken it For if you will diligently weigh the whole matter with your self truly you shall see it is no small matter that is called in question by this Oath but one of the principal Heads of our Faith and Foundations of Catholique Religion And for proof of this he produceth little scraps out of Gregory the Great Pope Leo and such like Instances nothing at all God wot to the Business in hand as Blackwell himself in his Answer to Bellarmines Letter may testifie The Pope considering Father Blackwell's Humour and it may be his Confinement appointed 1608 Mr. George Birket to be Arch-Priest and sent him a Breve to forbid the taking of the Oath and to deprive all Priests of their Faculties that should take it Part of which take as followeth Tibique injungimus Mandamus ac specialem facultatem ad hoc tribuimus ut Authoritate nostra omnes singulos Sacerdotes Anglos qui quoddam Juramentum in quo multa continentur quae fidei atque saluti animarum aperte adversantur praestiterunt vel ad loca ad quae Haeretici ad eorum superstitiosa Ministeria peragenda convenire solent consulto accesserunt aut qui talia licite fieri posse docuerunt docent admonere cures ut ab hujusmodi erroribus resipiscant abstineant Quod si intra tempus extrajudicialiter tamen arbitrio tuo illis praefigendum hoc facere distulerint seu aliquis illorum distulerit illos seu illum facultatibus Privilegiis omnibus ab Apostolica sede seu illius Authoritate a quocunque alio illis vel cuivis illorum concessis eadem Authoritate prives ac privatos esse declares c. Datum Roma apud S. Petrum sub Annulo Piscator die 1 Feb. 1608 Pontificatus Nostri Anno 3. And we enjoyn and command you and for this we give you special Faculty that by our Authority you take care to admonish all and every English Priest who have taken a certain Oath wherein many things are contained which are manifestly against Faith and the salvation of souls or do willingly repair to such places where the Hereticks use to meet to celebrate their superstitious Services or Worship or have taught and do teach that such things may lawfully be done that they may repent and abstain from such Errors And if within the time extrajudicialiter notwithstanding by you as you think fit to be appointed unto them they or any one of them shall defer to obey this That then you by the same Authority do deprive and declare them or him to be deprived of all Faculties and Priviledges granted them or any of them from the See-Apostolick or by her Authority from any other whatsoever c. Dated at Rome at St. Peters c. 1 Feb. 1608. Birket upon the receit of this Breve draws up and sends abroad this Admonishing-Letter To all the Reverend Secular Priests of England Most dearly beloved Brethren WHereas I have always desired to live without Molesting or Offending others it cannot be but a wonderful Corsive Sorrow and Grief unto me that against mine own inclination I am forced as you have seen by the Breve it self to prescribe a certain time for such as do find themselves to have been contrary to the points which are touched in the said Breve concerning the Oath and going to Church that they may thereby return and conform themselves to the Doctrine declared by his Holiness both in this and the other former Breves And therefore now by this Present do give notice unto you all That the time which I prefix and prescribe for that purpose is the space of two Months next ensuing after the knowledg of this my Admonition Within which time such as shall forbear to take or allow any more the Oath or going to Church I shall most willingly accept their doing therein Yet signifying unto you withall That such as do not within the time prescribed give this satisfaction I must though much against my will for fulfilling his Holiness commandment Deprive them and Denounce them to be Deprived of all their Faculties and Priviledges granted by the See-Apostolique or by any other by Authority thereof unto them or to any of them and so by this present do Denounce hoping that there is no man will be so wilful or disobedient to his Holiness Order but will conform himself as becometh an Obedient Child of the Catholique Church And so most heartily wishing this Conformity in us all and that we may live and labour together Unanimes in Domo Domini I pray God give us the Grace to effect that in our Actions whereunto we are by our Order and Profession obliged This 2d of May 1608. Your Servant in Christ GEORGE BIRKET Arch-Priest of England and Protonotary Apostolical Now were Pens employed on both sides the Romanists cuffing one another bravely about the Oath Voluminous Coquaeus comes railing from France against it Getser opposeth it in Germany Andraeus Eudaemonioannes of Greece declares it Abominable In Italy Cardinal Bellarmine is very busie against it sometimes under his own other times masked under false Names as Tortus and some think Schulckenius was one and the same person with the Cardinal In Spain now flourish'd Franciscus Suarez he also by order from the Pope and Conclave is commanded to undertake it which he doth But the good old man thought he was hardly dealt withall by the Inquisitors to whom having sent his Book for Approbation they alter'd Vid Bishop of Chichester Dr. King his Letter to Is Walton before Hookâ—r's Eccles Poliy Edit 1666. and added according to their own humours as was * confest by Mr. John Salikill then Suarez his Amanuensis but afterwards reconciled to the Church of England But above all the opposers
this Oath 716 717 718 Pope Urban VIII ' s Breve against it 725 Obelerio Duke of Venice cut in pieces 183 Orders in Religion the stories of their Founders 2 3 4 5 6 7 Oxford a Priest pretends to cure diseases there in 1663. p. 447 Otho IV Emperor deposed 265 P Paris a Council of Sixteen appointed there to act for the League 515 Their designe of surprizal of Bologne discovered to the King by Poulain 516 Their designes to seize on the K. and kill him discovered by Poulain 516 517 518 521 522 They break the Kings Great Seal and make another 539 A new Oath injoyned ibid. Is besieged by Henry IV 565 Its Famine relieved by the Duke of Parma 575 Yeilded to the King 590 William Parry Dr. of Laws his several attempts and treasons against Q. Elizabeth 437 c. Incouraged to kill the the Queen 439 440 Executed in the Palace-yard 442 Father Parsons vid. Persons Partitiato Duke of Venice thrust into a Monastery 183 Pope Paul V his quarrels with the Venetians 619 to 639 Pepin made King 165 166 The first Christian King that was Anoynted 168 Cardinal Perron his bad Principles 57 59 84 85 Fa. Parsons bad Principles 75 76 77 90 91 93 94 101 His life 679 to 688 Philip the Emperor murther'd 263 Philip I King of France Excommunicated 232 Philip IV le Bell King of France his troubles by Pope Boniface VIII 282 c. Pius V his Bull against Q. Elizabeth 427 to 436 Its interpretation granted by Pope Gregory XIII 435 436 Pope his Power and Authority 31 32 c. Extravagant Titles given him 33 The Pope is God 34 Can create something out of nothing ibid. Above all power in Heaven or Earth 35 We must bow at the name of the Pope 40 Pope to be obeyed rather then Christ or God ibid. Pope can depose Emperors and Kings and dispose of their Dominions 41 42 c. Can absolve Subjects from their Allegiance to their Kings 82 83 c. Great strivings to be Pope 131 132 c. The manner of their Elections ibid. 141 Formerly chose by Emperors 139 179 180 198 201 202 216 217 Whether there be really a true Pope 142 143 c. Their Toes kist 38 162 167 230 260 Vs'd to adore the Emperors 170 Their horses led by Kings and Emperors 38 181 252 253 259 Their succession not agreed on 195 196 197 c. 116 117 Of 18 years old 200 Of 10 or 12 years old 216 The changing of their names 201 Popes stirrop held 227 252 253 255 259 260 299 Despise the Imperial Power 253 Schism amongst them and reflections upon some of their actions 323 324 c. Declares it lawful for Subjects to fight against their King if an Heretick 507 Nicholas Poulain taken into the Council of Sixteen 516 Discovers all their designes to the King 516 517 518 c. Flees from Paris to the King 525 R THe Reformation of the Church of England defended 412 413 Reliques false and spurious 14 15 24 25 Nicol. de Renzo his pranks at Rome 305 306 William Reynolds an account of him 560 Richard II King of England his deposing death 312 113 314 Charles Ridicove a Fryar sent to kill the King 597 Rodolph declared Emperour against Henry IV 223 slain 226 Robert Rodolpho sent into England by Pope Pius V to stir up rebellions against Q. Elizabeth 426 427 Roger King of Naples shot to death 252 Rome taken by the occasion of an Hare 187 Swears Allegiance to the Emperour 188 Odd Tumults there 305 306 S SAints sottish beastly and unchristian 18 19 20 Counterfeit that never were 20 21 Sanders bad Principles 62 66 67 83 Scotland plots there by the Romanists against King James VI 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 c. Scripture basely abused 3 5 6 32 33 35 39 Segovia tumults there begun upon the Emperour Charles V ' s leaving Spain 355 Simony 143 144 151 The Council of Sixteen vid. Paris Sixtus V Pope his Bull against K. of Navar and Prince of Conde Very furious against Queen Elizabeth 454 Deprives the Queen of her Dominions and absolves her Subjects from Allegiance ibid. Soâ—â—â—z vid. Suaâ—ez Sâ—rbonne Colledge their bad Prâ—nciples 73 When built 99 They make a secret Decree that Princes may be deposed c. 519 They decree that the people of France are freed from the Oath of Allegiance and Obedience to Hen. III and may fight against him 530 531 They send to Sixtus V for a ratification of this Decree 532 533 534 They conclude that Prayers are not to be made for the King and the word Henry to be dashed out of their Prayer-books 537 Spain ' s rebellious League against Charles V 351 Or the holy Junta or Assembly 357 Or Coâ—â—â—unalty 355 Tumults there upon Charles V ' s departure for Germany 355 356 357 The Spanish Invasion vid. Invasion Squire ' s designe to kill Q. Elizabeth Stapletons bad Principles 44 Stephanus Pâ—pe strangled 197 Thomas Stukely his ambition for a Kingdom 387 His designes against Ireland 388 Fran. Suarez bad Principles 61 Subjects of themselves may depose Kings 86 87 c. May kill their King 95 96 c. Suercherus II King of Swedland murdred 252 Suercherus III kill'd Ibid. Suintila K. of Spain deposed 158 159 Supremacie an interpretation of the Oath 400 401 T THomas à Becket his troubling Henry II 235 c. Declar'd perjured and a Traytor 238 Further accus'd 244 The Bishops complain against him 240 241 His Horse-bridle held by the King 246 He is murther'd Ibid. William Thomas defends King Henry VIII 407 Tir-Oen rebel to Q. Elizabeth in Ireland 393 Pardon'd and rebels again 394 Raises a Rebellion in Ireland lib. 9. c. 3. Proclaim'd Traytor by Mount-joy Lord Deputy 653 Submits and delivers himself up 665 Tradenico D. of Venice murder'd 183 Trajans soul deliver'd out of Hell 157 Traytors how punish'd 256 261 262 Gunpowder-Treason 689 to 695 The Council of Trent not free 425 V VAlentia troubles in that Kingdom 359 360 Venetians their insolences to their Dukes 183 Dog-trick to get off their Interdict 307 Quarrels between them and Pope Paul V 619 to 639 Verstegan his life 415 Vitalis Michele II D. of Venice kill'd 253 Virgin Mary vid. Mary Edict of Union or July a peace made by it 525 The Heads of it 525 Pope Urban VIII sends a Breve against taking the Oath of Allegiance 725 W WIlliam I K. of Naples imprison'd 252 Willan ' s designe to kill Q. Eliz. 463 464 Witches 208 209 215 X XImenes Cardinal his life actions 251 252 Y YOrk designes to kill Q. Elizabeth 463 464 Z ZAchary Pope absolves subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance 166 FINIS
THE HISTORY OF POPISH TREASONS AND USURPATIONS THE HISTORY OF ROMISH Treasons Usurpations Together with A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT Of many gross CORRUPTIONS and IMPOSTURES In the CHURCH of ROME Highly dishonourable and injurious to Christian Religion To which is Prefixt A Large PREFACE to the ROMANISTS Carefully Collected out of a great number of their own approved Authors By HENRY FOVLIS B. D. Late Fellow of Lincoln-Colledge in Oxford S. Joh. 18. 36. Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world S. Luke 12. 14. Who made me a Ruler over you LONDON Printed by J. C. for Richard Chiswell at the two Angels and Crown in Little-Britain 1671. THE PREFACE Gentlemen I Am apt to fancy that at the first sight of these Papers I shall be loaded with your severest Censures condemn'd as the worst of Hereticks nay and branded as the greatest of Lyers and Slanderers And all this because I onely tell you what the Pope and his boldest Champions would have you to believe because I tell you what grand Authority his Holiness hath what great power and jurisdiction lyeth in your selves what bloudy actions have been done to maintain these priviledges and as a Preparative to all have afforded you the Glories Commendations and Prerogatives of your Religion from Brutes and Blocks Fools and Devils themselves with suchlike odd Arguments as some of your Graver Wits have troubled themselves confirm'd their Religion and pleasured us with But My Masters I may assure my self of a mitigation of your Fury when you have seriously considered that here I say nothing but what is asserted and vindicated by your own Authors approved of by your own Authority and agreeable to the Sentiments and Doctrine of the Pope himself From whence will follow that with what ill will or names you prosecute me for these Collections you must do the same to his Holiness and the greatest Assertors of his Religion I being but the Compiler or Transcriber of their words and actions which used to be your Patterns and Examples to live by and now to turn tail to oppose and contradict the Pope and his Learned Doctors not to believe in his infallible Documents might renew a Dispute about your disagreements or that there might be two contradictory Truths this may be true at Rome and yet the quite contrary also true in England as Father Coton and other Jesuits affirm'd at Paris In short thus to withstand the Pope would shew your selves no good sons of his Church though it might good subjects to your King which is a great part of a good Christian But by way of Apology for my self I must add that your own Writers occasioned and provoked these Collections that their slanders ingaged me to a Vindication and this Retort and I think Duty and Truth obligeth me to justifie my Mother the Church of England as well as they theirs of Rome And to deny us this favour would be a Restraint beyond all Story for if yours take upon them the liberty to oppose and defame our Church it would be strange if you would not allow us in England to vindicate her And by the by it had been well if they had not so much troubled themselves in opposing our Oath of Allegiance and clamouring against the Magistrates for requiring it which yet is more talk'd of then done seeing these Papers will shew both from Principles and actions that some mens Doctrines are so dangerous and pernicious that the strictest Oaths are scarce strong enough for them and that this especially is favourable enough considering the occasion of its making and the seditious Principles of some people 'T is said that those of ill names are half hang'd and the poor woman that durst not kill her Landlords ill-lucky Dog got her designe by crying out he was Mad whereby the Neighbours presently knockt him on the head And thus it fares with our Religion Of all names nothing more odious then a Traytor and the Romanists will scarce have any to be such but those of the Reformed Church which Charge they lay so heavy upon us and with such often Repetitions that most of their Gentry who in this and other things are apt to be Priest rid now use it as the onely Argument to bespatter the Church of England and I fancie have got some Proselytes by the strength of these Reproaches But I would have them to remember once for all that every one in England is not of the Church of England and for other Churches at this time I shall not concern my self and for ought that I know our Presbyterian and Independant are as great enemies to our Church as the Romanist Certain I am the Papists ought to be cautious in their Accusations against these mischievous Non-Conformists also lest at the same time they do but condemn themselves and I a Utinam eorum nonnulli qui rectissime damnant non pessimè imitarentur Bp. Sanderson de jurament Prael 7. § 3. wish there were no reason for such a supposition yet it is too true that at the same time that the former were Rebels against the King in England the Romanist was as active in Ireland despising and vilifying his Majesty through his Viceroy then Marquess of Ormond as much as those did the King in England And though here the Presbyterians imprison'd the King renounced him by their Non-Address and by their other villanies set up the Scaffold and the Independants and other Phanaticks struck off the Head yet will the Irish-Romanists gain small honour by this Objection seeing they did as much as lay in their power to act the same to their Viceroy by fighting against him excommunicating him combining to take away his life or to deliver him up to the Independant Army by trayterously offering themselves and Kingdom to the command of Forreigners as Lorraine the French the Spaniard nay the Pope himself Not to insist here how grateful the Kings Murther was to several Romanists and how formerly they have gloryed in the Murther of other Princes Yet will their Writers take the confidence to declare their innocencie and loyalty to the face of the whole world and thereby not onely seem to quit and clear themselves but at the same time bespatter and asperse what in them lyeth us wicked Hereticks as they are apt to call us Pedro de Ribadeneyra a Jesuit of no small Sanctity and credit amongst them being a Disciple and acquaintance of their Founder Ignatius though as arrant a Railer as the best of them would gladly perswade the world that a Hoc i. e. Evangelium mentiri docet hoc pejurare hoc fingere hoc dissimulare hoc adulare hoc Hypocritas esse hoc Principes ovinam pellem induere nihilominus laniare occidere sanguinem prosundere more luporum gregem dominicum devotare Quantas Deus bone seditiones quantas turbas tumultus novum hoc vestrum Evangelium ab eo tempore quo primum eme◠sit in mundo excitavit Quot
Civitates evertit destruxit solo adaequavit quot Provincias vastavit quot Regna depredatum est quantum denique innocentis sanguinis prosundere non dubitavit dicat hoc Gallia dicat Belgium dicat Scotia dicat etiam vestra haec Anglia Siquidem omnis illa tyrannis barbarics crudelitas saevitia quae hodie apud vos obtinet aliud nihil sunt quam vestri Evangelii fructuâ— Quibus ita constitutis Evangelium adhue vestrum Deo attribuere ad illum reserre audetis Potestne blasphemia major ista reperiri Pet. Ribad Appendix sive Lib. 4. ad Nicol. Sanders de Schismate Angl. cap 17. You may see the same also in his Spanish Hist Ecclesiastica del Schisma del Reyno de Inglaterra lib. 3. cap. 17. Lying Perjury Deceipt Flattery Hypocrisie Tyranny Sedition Destruction Murther and what not is nothing but the fruit and result of our Religion upon which the man wonders how we dare intitle it to God or Christ but never remembers the treasonable Principles of himself and his Brethren with the Practices of his Church Jacobus Gretser another of the same stamp will have our Religion not onely to be the off spring but also the b Sectam vestram Martis Bellonae esse filiam parentem clarius est quam ut sine impudentia negare possis loquatur Gallia utraque Germania Anglia Scotia Jac. Grets Apol. pro vita Ignat. Loyolae lib. 3. pag. 475. Mother of War and Sedition to deny which he looketh upon as a grand piece of Impudence And c Ubique seditiones tumultus praetextu Religionis movent ubique jugum Principum quantum possunt excutiuâ—t sibi omnem gubernationem vindicant Discussio Decreti Magni Concilii Lateran pag. 129. Leonardus Lessius of the same Order but disguised under the false name of Guilielmus Singletonus is much of the same opinion and we need not doubt but these men speak the sentiment of their whole Order But to come neerer home No sooner was King James setled in the Kingdom here but the English Romanists drew up a d 1604. pag. 7 Supplication to his Majesty and the Parliament in which they do not a little vaunt of the loyalty of their Religion in these words The Catholick Subject is if any other the Glory strength and perpetuity of the Kingdom because he principally seeking Heaven in this world and will not for the world be diverted cannot be treacherous or disloyal or undutiful to your Highness but in every service and distress occurring valiant resolute and most faithful and all these fair words were to the same King and Parliament whose destruction they intended and had at that time contrived it Towards the latter end of the said King James his Reign Prince Charles was sent a wooing into Spain at which time the Romanists were fill'd with hopes though upon no certain grounds of the Conversion of the Prince a Free Toleration of their Religion or rather that the whole Kingdom would be at their Devotion As a preparative to this grand Expectation Father Pateson drew up a Book under the Title of Jerusalem and Babel or The Image of both Churches collected mostly out of the Answers to Anti-coton and Brerely This Treatise he dedicateth to the Prince the main designe being to vindicate the Popish Loyalty and to declare the Protestants to be absolute Rebels For proof of which he boldly affirms a Pag 347. Editionis Lond. 1653. Now it is manifest that in the short space of her Reign viz. of Queen Mary of England which was not much above five years she had more open Rebellions and Insurrections made agâ—inst her from such of her Subjects as were not well-affected unto her Religion then Queen Elizabeth had from Catholicks in full forty and five c. And to testifie farther what loyal people they were to Queen Elizaheth let Pope Spain or any other confederate against her never so much thus the same Penman taketh upon him the confidence to testifie b Pag. 491. Among so many Priests as by that time there were both in England and beyond the Seas and in so long a time as this pretended Confederacie was in framing when Spies and Intelligences were many and well paid by the State was there so much as one Priest nominated and accused to have been so corrupted or induced any way by these Princes or their Ministers to practice ought to the prejudice of their Country was there any one apprehended or convicted of such a Treason was there ever any subject of England call'd in Question for entertaining Priests that were sought after upon that account In a word when the Spanish Armado was under sail for England was there so much as one Priest or Seminary-man found or known to be in it Or at any time since discover'd to have been imploy'd in that service And lastly thus the same man characters the two Religions The c Pag. 560. Catholicks seek onely by way of Petition Supplication Prayer and humble Remonstrating of their sufferances the other viz. Protestants seek chiefly by Fire and Sword and Cannon-Bullet and by thundring of Ordnance With these Arguments or Weapons did Pateson endeavour to force the Prince from his Religion but they were too weak and blunt against such a noble and knowing Champion yet when he was in Spain he is there assaulted again and that by no less man then Zacharias Boverius the old Cappuchine who wrote a Folio Book call'd Orthodoxa Consultatio and dedicated it to the said Prince where he endeavours by might and main to bring a dislikeing in Prince Charles to the Church of England by hinting to him the Divisions of it as if forsooth the Romanists agreed in all things He would also perswade him to turn Romanist one of his encouragements being that the Pope can d Ortho. Coâ—sult part 2. Reg. 6. p. 286. Depose Kings a very excellent complementive Argument to convert a man out of his Rights and Dominions But this e Caeterum si Reges â—e oves esle aegre serent ac luporum more Ecclesiasticum Potestatem invadant sciant profecto eam potestatem Pontifici totius Ecclesiae Pastori à Christo esse collatam quae veâ—o Pâ—stori adveâ—sus Lupos gregâ—s vastatores ipso naturali jure permissa est nimitum ut Lupos à grege arceant Id enim postulat commissa sibi à Christo Dominici gregts cura qua Ecclesiae conservationi sedulo invigilare debet ut Lupos gregem invadences expellat ac modis omnibus Ecclesiasticae Reipub. utilitati atque incolumitati consulaâ— Praestat namque Principem à grege expelli quam gregem totum corruete Zach. Bover Demonstrationes Symbolorum verae falsae Religionis Tom. 2. Art 5. pag. 150. Doctrine Boverius had taught in his former Writings from which his Orthodoxa Consultatio if a man may be a Plagiary to himself is stoln for the nonce Dr. Benjamin Carier having plaid
Defender of the Faith When I finde you refuse the Oath of Allegiance one reason being because it will not allow the Pope to have a true right and authority to depose Kings and to absolve subjects of their Oaths of Allegiance When I finde you in your very b Image of both Churches pag. 171 172. Apologies for your selves confess the Romanists to be but conditional Subjects i. e. onely to one of your own perswasion in Religion as is farther proved all along in this History that Heretical Kings may be depos'd When I finde you in your late c Vid. The Roman Clergy of Irelands Remonstr before P. Welsh's more ample Account Remonstrance and Petition to his present sacred Majesty King Charles II. come off so bluntly in relation to his Majesties life and your own loyalty in these really insignificant yet too much significant words And we do hold it impious and against the Word of God to maintain that ANY PRIVATE SUBJECT MAY KILL or MURTHER the ANOYNTED of God HIS PRINCE though of a different belief and Religion And what will they have to be the meaning of these idle words though they will not have a Ravaillac to kill a King will they allow of an English Rump or a French League to order the same though they will not allow a private person will they think it legal if done by a Representative a Popular Convention or the three Estates But a word is enough to the wise and 't is dangerous sometimes to speak too plain When I finde your selves confess that even since the happy Restauration of his Majestie d P. Welsh more ample Accompt pag. 32. Some of you have given sufficient demonstrations of their failing in the duty of good Subjects and that some of your Tenents have been e Id. p. 43 44. inconsistent and injurious to good Government And yet for all this to take upon you the confidence of declaring to the world your innocencie and loyalty and that Treason and Sedition are onely the Principles of us English Hereticks the Puritan and Phanatick I grant are as wicked as your heart could wish for so you are pleas'd to nominate all those who are true sons of the Church of England Upon these slanders in respect of this Church I could not but think my self obliged to shew to the world where as to this case the truth is and in so doing shew my self a dutiful son in vindicating his Mother A Church famous for her Loyalty and Sufferings not one of her Constitutions intrenching upon the Crown nor any of her sons faithless or rebellious to his Prince whereas that of Rome by her Popes Bulls Constitutions Pen-men and Sword-men have destroy'd Nations harras'd Kingdoms Dethron'd Emperours Depos'd and Murdred Princes trampled upon Crowns and Scepters In a word hath declared f Illos quod bella civilia abhorrerent à nobis Imperio deficere nollent crimen laesae Majestatis scelus perfidiae admittere recusarent Haeresios nota inussit Jo. Aventiâ— Annal. Boiorum lib. 7. pag. 613. Loyalty a Crime Treason a signe of true Roman Religion look'd upon her self as the Supreme Judge of the world in all cases usurp'd a power to dispose of all Dominions to dethrone Monarchs and absolve Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance Some may fancie a Surata 76. Edit lat 1550. or Surat 66. Mahomet in his Alcoran the first absolver of Oaths and that Pope Zachary presently after put it in practice against Childeric King of France But letting this pass we have it from good Authority that there were formerly a Sect amongst the Turks call'd Assasini whence we say to Assassinate they lived in the Mountains of Phoenicia towards Tyre their Government and chiefest Laws were Mat. Paris pag. 83. Hen. Spelman glossaâ—ium § Assasini these Their Governour or Master was not Hereditary but Elective He under the Notion of Humility as if he would be onely the servant of servants refused all lofty Titles being onely call'd the Old man of the Mountains Was honour'd and worship'd as Vicar to Mahomet and so their Father and Prophet They pretended to be such exact Observers of their Turkish or Mahometan Laws that all other seem'd but as meer cheats or Non-conformists in respect of them They were led with that Blinde Obedience that they never question'd their Masters command be the action never so dangerous difficult or wicked they never left off till it was finish'd Any Prince whom they either hated or thought to be no friend to them or their party upon the least hint they would Murther though they were sure to suffer for it Whosoever murther'd a Prince that was not of their Religion they believed him to have the second place next to Mahomet in Paradise For they also believed that the Old man their Head and Prophet could also dispose of Paradise 'T is said that this Sect was long ago destroy'd by the Tartars and whether any who call themselves Christians have espous'd their Tenents I shall not say But to return As for the Pope though the Pagan King of Peru might call him a b Hier. Benzo Hist Nov orbis lâ—b 3. cap. 3 great impudent fool though the great Turk might call him the c Jo. Gerhard loc Theolog. Tom. 5. de Ecclesia § 294. King of Fools or though Marbizan the Mahometan might term Pius Il's Bulls onely d Hist impressa ante Alcoran Edit lat 1550. p. 99. Epigrams yet it may seem to go hard when those he pretends to be his own sons should shew no more respect to him as when Philip King of France call'd him Your Foolishness and the Emperour Maximilian I should say he was onely e Discours d'un Bourgeois de Paris sur les Pouvoirs de Cardinal Chigi legat en France p. 80. King of Fools But methinks Sancho Brother to the King of Arragon if my Author mistake not another onely saith Spain was most ingeniously even with his Holiness and bit the closer by seeming to do him Lâ—uys Garan le chasse Ennuy-Cent 2. § 3. the greater honour the story in brief thus Pope Adrian IV supposing he had Authority to dispose of all Kingdoms in the world gave to the former Sanctius the Land of Aegypt then in Possession of the Sarazens yet he should have it if he would take but the small pains to conquer it and accordingly at Rome proclaims him King of Egypt so bountiful and noble was this English Breakspear Sancho informed of this would not be behinde-hand with his Holiness in courtesie and so very gravely proclaimed the Pope to be Caliph of Bandas which he might also conquer and possess if he pleas'd Yet others there are as may be seen in this following Treatise who are more wide on the other side and will be satisfied with nothing but I know not what strange Almighty Faculties Authorities and Blessings adhering to the Pope As if they were related to George the Suffragan of
both Churches pag. 72 73. Pateson the Jesuit desires in the same case viz. Nor do we insist so much here what studyed or strange sense may possibly perhaps be put upon his words but how they sound outwardly and how they are apt to be understood by the Common people who do not usually Vid. Father Parsons three conversions of Engl. part 3. pag. 306. stand much pondering about words but take them aâ— they sound especially when they sound liberty or any thing agreeable to their corrupt passions and humours as these do And this I thought not amiss to minde the Caviller of that he may note that we have a trusty Romanist thus to befriend us in some things which favour if he think it not fitting for me to desire let him judge the same also of Pateson and I am satisfied seeing I may expect as much priviledge as he And some slips may happen to the most careful Writer therefore I dare not plead my self free from such considering the variety of Histories Countries Matter Authors and Tongues I was obliged to make use of and in too short a time requisite to gather up so many materials and that without any assistance not so much as acquainting any with my designe obliged thereto in vindication of the Church of England from some slanders by way of retort till I had almost brought the story to its Conclusion And in my way of scribling 't is against my patience and idleness to write one thing twice over or stand pumping for fine fantastical or new-fangled words neither befitting an English man or History nor any but those who are ashamed of their own Country and her Language as many of our shatter-nodled Gallants are who think to better the English Tongue either by beating out her Native words and placing forreigners in their stead or by a Court-mincing yet this must be call'd the best English as if one should call the Modern Italian the purest Latine But 't is the French Tongue that must now with us domineer as the b Juvenal Sat. 3. 6. Greek of old did at Rome though 't is fit we should borrow from others what our own Language cannot express However it happens as for my self I can freely protest that Si voluntatem mentiendi non habent nec homines fallunt nisi ab hominibus humanâ— infirmitate salluntur August Epist 131. as I neither intended to abuse my Reader or the Truth neither to my knowledge have I unless through Humane frailty I have been deceived by other Testimonies And shall be so far from disgusting any mans shewing me my faults privately or publickly that I shall take it for a favour that thereby truth may be discover'd and shall accordingly acknowledge them Pietro Poalo Vergerio once a very zealous Romanist and imploy'd in many honourable Embassies in behalf of that Church yet whilst he set himself most earnestly to confute Luther in the very undertaking was himself converted and if any Roman Catholick should have the same designe against these Papers I wish they might have the same effect which I would not despair of if he would first swallow the a Despovillez vous de tout affection French Doctors Pill viz. not to be guided by interest Not that I here concern my self with the multitude of their other Articles but onely that they will grant so much that no Authority whatever be it Pope or other can legally and of right depose the King of Great Britain or absolve his subjects from their Allegiance or that his subjects ought to obey either without the Kings free and voluntary Concession no force Yet I am an enemy to Flatterers Vid. Jo. Filesac de Idolat Politica pag. 28 53. Vid. Hieron Osorium contra Haddon fol. 27. b. restraint or any violence or opposition before had or offer'd to him Yet if any Romanist think himself obliged to Reply to these Papers I shall desire and expect these Conditions from him That he do not Picquere here and there at the weakest places some of which possibly are not material but charge boldly through the whole body That he answer in order as I write not at random but Chapter after Chapter and Section after Section That those Chapters and Places he doth not answer to he will grant to be true on my side That his Answers be short and positive not stuft up with idle words and impertinences nothing to the business in hand That he answer not me onely but the Romanish Authors and the very places which I quote and shew how in the respective Citations they are mistaken That the Authors he bringeth against mine being Romanists be such as himself will stand to and declare to be of more credit then mine That his Quotations be as exact and punctual as mine by some letter or mark directing to the named Author and thâ—n setting down the Book Chapter Page Year or Paragraph as I have done That he either set down my words which he excepteth against or at least quote the place where they are We are told of some Germans who used to speak one way and think another used to confess that in the b Abb. Vâ—sperg Pâ—â—â—lip an 1518. p. 448. Schools and publickly they us'd to maintain such a Doctrine but believed the quite contrary As the great Lawyer c Digest in Proem § 14. Bartholus thought it his wisest way to affirm Constantines Donation because he was in the Papal Territories like Father Coton and his Jesuits who would believe one thing in France but the quite contrary at Rome But I would not have our English Romanists to use double dealing or a double conscience like these men lest they might be somewhat akin to those Islanders mentioned by a De Gentium motibus lib. 3. cap. 26. Johannes Boernus whose Tongues are so cloven that they can speak to two men at the same time Let them assert what they really think is the Doctrine and Sentiments of those at Rome and let them affirm nothing but what they will avouch to be publickly maintain'd there For if whilst they oppose me they do also confute the Pope and his Church at Rome they shew themselves to be none of his through-pac'd sons cast a doubt upon their Church and may want the blessing of his Holyness In short I shall intreat him with b Proinde quisquis haec legit ubi pariter certus est pergat mecum ubi pariter haesitat quaerat mecum ubi errorem suum cognoscit redeat at me ubi meum revocet me Ita ingrediamur simul charitatis viam tendentes ad cum de quo dictum est Quaerite faciam ejus semper August de Trinitate lib. 6. cap. 3. St. Augustine to agree with me where he findes the Truth to consult me where he is doubtful to confess his fault and acknowledge me where he seeth his Error and where he findes me straying to lead me into the right Way and Truth H.
printed in several Nations And if you think that these Spaniards speak not plain enough yet we shall shew you another Jesuit but of another Country viz. Brabant yet under the subjection of Spain And this is Martinus Becanus of great esteem amongst the learned honoured by the Emperour Matthias and Confessor to Ferdinand the Second but let us hear him speak and then we shall scarce think him fit to be imploy'd so neer the Conscience of so great a Monarch as Caesar since he attributes too much power to one who thinks himself a better man in Temporals one way or another than the Emperour Sometimes Aliquando factum est ut etiam Reges essent leprosi ergâ— poterat pontifex mandaâ—e ut feorsim habitarent si nollent obedire ut VITA PRIVARENTUR NIHIL CERTIUS Hâ—nc colligimus Pontificem duplici titulo potuisse Reges privare suo Regno primo quia poterat eos si â—ONTUMAâ—ES esâ—ent PRIVARE VITA Ergo Regno de hoc nemo DUBITAT Becan Controvers Angl. pag. 115. saith he it so falls out that Kings become wicked or Hereticks then the Pope may command that they be removed which if they disobey they may be kill'd and then this nothing is MORE CERTAIN And again The Pope may deprive Kings of their Kingdoms upon a double account for if they be CONTUMACIOUS he may have them Kill'd and so they are also deprived of their Kingdom and that this may be done no man doth doubt But yet if you think that this is not plain enough we will afford you another Jesuit and a Spaniard â—â—z Franciscus Suarez a man that seemed to excel Abulensis by thâ— multitude of his writings and one of the greatest esteem of all his Order Pope Paul the Fifth himself having honoured him with several Letters That Kings may be kill'd Suarez affirms no less than three times in one a Defens fid lib. 6. cap. 4. § 18. Paragraph but a little before this he speaks more plain by endeavouring to prove it by reason after this manner b Id. Lib 6. c. 4. § 14. Postquam Rex legâ—time depositus est jam non est Rex neque Princeps legitimus consequenter non potest in illo subsistere assertio quae de legitimo Rege loquitur Imo si Rex talis post depositionem legitimam in sua pertinacia perseverans Regnum per vim retineat incipit esse Tyrannus in Titulo quia non est legitimus Rex nec justo titulo Regnum possidet declaratur hoc amplius in Rege Haeretico nam statim per haeresim ipso facto privatur aliquo modo dominio proprietate sui Regni Post sentenâ—am latam omnino privatur Regno ita ut non possit justo titulo illud possidere Ergo ex tunc poterit tanquam omnino Tyrannus tractari Consequenter a QUOCUNQUE PRIVATO POTERIT INTERFICI When a King is deposed then he is neither lawful King nor Prince And if therefore he endeavour to keep the Kingdom under him by strength then he is an Vsurper because he is no lawful King having no true title to the Crown For that after the Decree of deposition gone out against him he is altogether deprived of his Kingdom so that he cannot with a just title possess it and so he may be used as a Tyrant or Vsurper and by consequence MAY BE SLAIN BY ANY PRIVATE MAN And this he saith if he be an Heretick And is not this as clear as the noon-day and as plain as a Pike-staff is not this down-right to call a spade a spade and to say that Kings may be deprived and then kill'd by any body Nor was this Principle set down without great consideration and firmly believed to be true not onely by Suarez but the chief of Portugal and others As for himself so far was he ever from recanting or thinking this Doctrine to be amiss but agreeable to the Church of Rome that the Jesuits tell us that when he was told how his book had been burnt in England he declared his consent so freely to his Principles contain'd Phil. Alegambe p. 138. therein that he said that nothing would be more pleasant and desirable to him than to have been burnt in the same flames with his book And he was so assured that his principles were agreeable to all of his Church that he had the confidence to dedicate such stuff to all Kings and Princes who were Roman Catholicks That it was held in great veneration with others cannot be denyed for we shall scarce see a book honour'd with such censures of approbation Alphonso à Castello Branco Bishop of Coimbria and Privy Councellor to the King of Spain Philip the Third declares that he hath read it exactly over and findes all things in it to agree to the holy Scriptures Apostolical Traditions General Councils and Papal Decrees Fernando Martiner Mascaregnus Bishop of Sylvis saith that he hath also read it over and findes nothing in it but what is Orthodox And Martiner Alonso à Mello another Privy Councellor and Bishop of Lamego saith also that he hath read it over and thinks it worthy to be publisht for the publick good of Christendom And the Provincial Jesuits of Portugal and Germany allow it the same priviledges and so doth the Inquisition Nor is this all but the University of Alcala de Henarez after a serious view and consideration of it declare that there is nothing in it contrary to the Roman Catholick faith nor any thing in it but what ought to be approved of and commended every thing being according to their own opinions and judgements All this put together is enough to blot out the bad reception it received by the Senators of Paris the Kings Murther then fresh in their memories and their hatred to the Jesuits being strong motives As for the Sorbone an Association really to be honour'd in many things its Doctors as most of other Convocations are oft so carryed on with interest and faction that many times in the most considerable things we shall finde their Decrees to clash one with another 'T is true this ancient Colledge of Sorbone built about 1250 by Robert de Sorbone hath for several ages kept up a great reputation and splendour but they have somewhat been troubled by the springing up of the Jesuits with whom I may say they and the University have had a continual bickering for this hundred years and of late have something lost ground especially at Rome where the Fathers carry the bell away clearly from the Doctors both in repute authority and preferments which are such considerable Arguments that of late times viz. since 1650 the interest of the Jesuits hath got in a manner the upper hand in the very Colledge of Sorbone and Paris the latter of which hath onely a company of Curates too weak to oppose against the subtile Loyolists and if the secular Authority do not intervene they will all in
the Pope presently a Matt. Paris anno 1164. restored him to that and absolved him The King we may suppose was more and more incensed against Thomas for his obstinacie and for to close up all a Parliament was held at Northampton where Thomas was to appear though he had indeavoured to flee beyond Seas but being beat back by cross windes he conceal'd that purpose and looked as if he had intended no such thing All being met at Northampton Thomas is accused of several things and whilst they are consulting concerning him he caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speak against me and the ungodly persecute me c. Thus would he have the Office for St. Stephen though it was not then his day and against the Custom he wore the Pall. This being finished he took up his Silver Crosier in his hands an action not heard of before as they say and so enters into the Court though several of his well-wishers perswaded him from such a defying posture as if thereby he carryed his Protection Exemption or Appeal The Bishops advised him to submit but he refusing they adjudged him guilty of a Aliquando noster fuisti Archiepiscopus tenebamur tibi obedire sed quia Domino Regi fidelitarem jurasti hoc est vitam membra terrenam dignitatem sibi perte fore salvam consuetudines quas ipse repetit conservandas tu eas interis destruere praecipue cum spectent ad terrenam suam dignitatem honorem idcirco te reum perjuâ—iis dicimus perjuto Archiepiscopo dâ—caetero non habemus obedire Bar. § 29. Perjury which they declared to him by Hilarius Bishop of Chichester and so disclaimed from that time forward all obedience to him as a perjured man The Nobility also pronounce him a Traytor but he slighting them all as no competent Judges over him holding up his Crosier appeal'd to the Pope of Rome and so withdrawing himself with what speed and secresie he could he wafted himself over into Flanders and so to go to the Pope to whom he resigned his Archbishoprick but had it presently confirmed to him again Thus was Thomas caress'd by the Pope and King of France let the King perswade what he will to the contrary yet the King thought it was good policie and security to shew his disdain and resolution against him and his Whereupon he Orders the Sheriffs and Judges of England to seise upon all those who appeal'd to the Pope or Matt. Paris an 1164. Thomas with the neer Relations of all such men as were with Thomas had also Thomas's Revenues seis'd upon and the livings of those who went with him sequester'd and St. Peters Pence to be gather'd but not pay'd to the Pope till farther Order However there were some means used towards a settlement to which purpose Messengers were sent to and fro between the King and Pope and at last a meeting agreed on between them the better to decide the business But this design was spoil'd by Thomas who perswaded the Pope to have a care of the Kings cunning and not to treat with him unless he were also present intimating Baron anno 1165. § 10. to â—â—e Pope as if the King were a jugler or dissembler Thus did Thomas gain so much upon the Pope that this meeting vanished the Pope over-perswaded not to treat but in the presence of Thomas though against the former Agreement And so Henry was resolved not to confer any thing with the Pope in the presence or competition of Thomas his Subject This meeting or half-agreement thus broke off not long after Thomas writes to the King beginning Expecting we have expected Baron anno 1166. § 45. that the Lord would look upon you and that being converted you would do penance departing from your perverse ways And then tells him how Bishops used to Excommunicate Kings and also writes to the Bishops of England commanding them to issue out Censures against those who hinder Appeals to the Pope c. absolves Id. § 54. all from the Oaths they made to keep any contrary Constitution And to carry up Thomas against all opposition and to make his Authority more glorious and formidable to his Enemies the Pope creates him Legat in England Alexander servus servorum Anno 1167. Bar. § 21. Dei Dilecto fratri Tho. Archiepiscopo Cant. salutem Apostol Benedictionem Sacro-Sancta Rom. Eccles digniores personas eas maxime quas honestate prudentia literatura eminentia virtutum praefulgere cognoscit ampliori consuevit charitate amplecti gloria honore praevenire Inde est quod nos tibi Legationem totius Angliae excepto Episcopatu Eboracensi benigno favore concedimus ut ibi vice nostra corrigas quae inveniri corrigenda ad honorem Dei Sacrosanctae Romana Ecclesiae salutem animorum statuas aedifices plantes quae statuenda fuerint plantanda Dat. Anagniae Alexander servant of the servants of God to our beloved Brother Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury greeting and Apostolical Benediction The most Holy Church of Rome always used to embrace with great chariry and prefer in glory and honour persons of eminent worth and them especially whom she knoweth to be most famous for honesty wisdom learning and excellencie of vertues This is the cause that with Our loving favour We grant and bestow on you the Legantine Authority over all England excepting onely the Archbishop of York to the end that within your jurisdiction in Our place and authority you correct what you finde worthy amendment and that to the honour of God the holy Church of Rome and for the salvation of Souls you do constitute build and plant whatsoever is to be setled and planted Given at Anagni Being thus rais'd above himself countenanced and upheld against all opposition he hurries into England to the Bishops a threatning Letter against the King and the Constitutions confirm'd at Clarendon telling the Bishops That We have too long and too much forborn the King of England Baron § 26. nor hath the Church of God gain'd any benefit by this Our induring It seemeth dangerous and intollerable for us to leave any longer unpunished as hitherto We have done so great excesses of Him and his Officers against the Church of God and Ecclesiastical persons especially since We have very often endeavoured by Messengers Letters and all manner of means as became Vs to recal him from his perverse purpose Because therefore he will hardly afford Vs the hearing much less attentively listen unto Vs We have with Invocation of the Grace of the holy Ghost publickly condemned and declared as void that Deed of Writing with the Authority of that Indenture wherein are contain'd not the Customs but rather the wicked divices whereby the Church of England is disturb'd and confounded And have hereby also Excommunicated all the Observers Exactors Counsellors Assistants and Defenders of the same And do
at Canterbury as a premonition that no man for the future should lay violent hands on Bishops or their Possessions But if the Statues of all such sacrilegious people were now to be erected neither the Porches nor Churches themselves in all England and Scotland could contain them Old King Henry was now at Argentan in Normandy when news came to him of the Murther which so afflicted him that he was over-whelm'd Bar. anno 1171. § 4. with tears and lamentations changing his Royalty into Hair cloths and Ashes almost for three days together retiring into his private Chamber not receiving either meat or comfort insomuch that the people about him fear'd he would pine away with grief though for the clearing of his innocency he protested a Omnipotentem Deum se testem invocare in animam suam quod opus nefandum nec sua voluntate nec Conscientia commissum est nec artificio perquisitum Baron As Almighty God should judge his soul that that accursed deed was neither acted by his will or consent nor done by any device of his Neither was this any counterfeit or dissembling grief but real and true and that so great that as a b Sa Penitence fut si grande qu'on nec lit point es Histoires que auâ—un Prince Christien ayt faict Penitence avec plus grande humilité Guil. Gazet Hist des Saincts tom 2. pag 980. Romanist confesseth never could any History afford such an Example of Penance and Humility in a Christian Prince For the King did not onely submit himself to the Papal Censures and as they say reject the ancient and wholesome Constitutions which we are told were not long after c Spelman Consil tom 2. pag. 111. confirmed again in the presence of the Popes Nuntios but also the Pope d Bar. an 1173. § 6 7. having Canonized Thomas for a Saint in Heaven Henry to compleat the rest of the Penance e Speed § 75. Bar. an 1174. § 6. injoyn'd him by the Legats went into England and being come within f Speed ib. three or g Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. four miles of Canterbury clad onely in one woollen Coat went all that long way bare-footed to the Church the bloud running from his tender feet by the piercing and cutting of the sharp stones and in the Church bestow'd a whole day and night in fasting watching and prayer and the next day return'd without eating and drinking all the while bare-footed as he came Nor was this all for he also received on his bare back from the Monks above fourscore lashes with Rods. To such an height of Extravagancie had the awe of Papal Censures and Absolutions flown over the greatest Monarchs though really no way subject either to them or their brutish-Thunderbolts The Kings purse paid for it also by maintaining a great number of Souldiers by the Popes Order in the Holy-Land And what good-will he really had for Thomas may appear by his charity and care for his Relations one of his Sisters call'd Mary she not intending Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. § 6â— to marry he made Abbess of Berking-Nunnery and another of his Sisters being married to one of the Botelers or Butlers he transplanted with her Husband and Children into Ireland conferring upon them high Honours and rich Revenues from whom the Dukes of Ormond are descended Nor was this all for he founded an Abbey call'd Thomas-Court in Dublin in memory of our Thomas Becket indowing it with large Revenues Thus have we seen the story of Thomas Becket which we have taken out of the Histories writ by his friends and admirers and followed that which hath most probability of Truth And we cannot but suppose that where a man is declared a Martyr for the Church and a Saint in Heaven but that Church-History will be crouded with his commendations by which we can expect but a partial relation at least little or nothing against him it being held an unpardonable crime not to believe with the Pope or to hint any thing against him whom his Holiness hath thrust into Heaven Yet enough may be gathered not onely from those who most commend but also from some ancient Historians whereby we may justly lay the fault rather upon him than his Soveraign For the King looked upon his cause to be so just having all the other Bishops of his Dominions approving of him that he freely offer'd the Controversie to the Tryal even of the a Speed § â—4 Parisian Divines and the Church of France though their King shew'd himself a great friend to Becket But Thomas was so cunning that he would stand to no mans judgement but his own and the Popes for then he was sure to come off Conqueror And if Thomas durst not stand to the determination of those Churches who in all probability understood the business best and to oppose all his own Country Bishops as if none of them were as wise or honest as himself And farther seeing presently after Thomas his death nay and Canonization too it was a strong dispute amongst the Divines beyond Sea whether Thomas was b Caesarius Hist Memorab l. 8. c. 69. damn'd for his Treason or a true Martyr I see no reason why we should be so confident of his Saintship and merits however as to use his bloud for a means to our Salvation as those do who pray c Horae B. Virg. secundum usum Sarum Paris 1534. fol. 53. b. Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit For Thomas his bloud sake which he for thee did spend Let us O Christ where Thomas is ascend Again when we consider the malapert humour of Thomas with his betters as because the King would not agree to his humour he must accuse him of d Bar. an 1166. § 45. perverse ways as e Id. anno 1167. § 26. criminous that he f § 34. grows worse and worse that he is a g Id. anno 1170. § 25. jugler a corrupt man and a deceiver Again when we consider how all the other Bishops declared him guilty of h Id. anno 1164. § 29. Perjury of i An. 1167. § 45. injuring the King of ingratitude of his rash and preposterous Excommunications that he by k Ib. § 61. his bitter provocations stir'd up the discord that his actions savour nothing of fatherly devotion or pastoral patience and that to the Pope himself they all l Ibid. vindicate the Kings actions And farther when we see the Peers not onely of England but also of France impute the want of peace to his m An. 1168. § 88. arrogancy and those who had been the very Mediators for his peace yet could not but tell him that he was n Ibid. always proud high-minded wise in his own conceipt a follower of his private fancie and opinion and that it was a mischief to the Church that ever he was
his own Queen as appears by his slaunders against her and his respect to Philip both which these following Letters will testifie To the most Mighty Monarch of World the Great King M S. F. 97. Laud. in Bibl. Bâ—dl â—xon fol. 180. of Spain give this at his Princely Palace of Madril Most Mighty Monarch I Humbly salute your Imperial Majesty giving your Highness to understand of our great misery and violent order wherewith we are of long time opprest by the English Nation Their Government is such as Pharaoh himself never used the like for they content not themselves with all Temporal Superiority but by cruelty desire our bloud and perpetual destruction to blot out the whole remembrance of our Posterity as also our old Catholick Religion and to swear that the Queen of England is Supreme of the Cburch I refer the consideration thereof to your Mâ—jesties high judgement the rather for that Nero in his time was far inferiour to this Queen in cruelty Wherefore and for the respects thereof Right Mighty Potentate my self with my followers and retainers and being also requested by the Bishops Prelates and Religious men of my Country have drawn my Sword and proclaimed Wars against them for the recovery first of Christs Catholick Religion and next for the maintenance of my own Right which of long time hath been wrongfully detained from me and my Father who by right succession was lawful heir to the Earldom of Desmond for he was eldest son to James my Grandfather also Earl of Desmond and for that my Vncle Gerald being the younger Brother took part with the wicked proceedings of the Queen of England to farther the unlawful claim of Supremacy usurped the name of Earl of Desmond in my Fathers true Title yet notwithstanding he had not long enjoyed his name of Earl when the wicked English annoyed him and prosecuted Wars that he with the most part of those that held of his side was slain and his Country thereby planted with Englishmen And now by the just judgement and providence of God I have utterly rooted these Malepart a a Boughs bowse out of the Orchard of my Country and have profited so much in my proceedings that my dâ—sterly Enemies dare not shew their faces in any part of my Country but having taken my Towns and Cities for their refuge and strength where they do remain as it were Prisoner for want of means to assail them as Cannon and Powder which my Country cannot yeild Having these wants most noble Potentate I have presumed with all humility to address these my Letters to your High Majesty craving the same of your gracious clemency and goodness to assist me in this godly enterprise with some help of such necessaries for the Wars as your Majesty shall think requisite and after the quiet of my Country satisfaction shall be truely made for the sâ—me and my self in person with all my forces shall be ready to serve your Highness in any Country your Majesty shall command me And if your Majesty will vouchsafe to send me a competent number of Souldiers I will place them in some of my Towns and Cities to remain in your gracious disposition till such time as my ability shall make good what your Majesty shall lend me in money and Munition and also your Majesties high Commission under the Broad Seal for leading and conducting these Souldiers according to the Prescript Order and Articles of martial discipline as your Majestie shall appoint me and as the service of this Land shall require I praise the Almighty God I have done by his goodness more then all my Predecessors for I have reclaim'd all the Nobility of this part of Ireland under the dutiful obedience of Christs Church and mine own Authority and accordingly have taken Pledges and Corporal Oaths never to swerve from the same and would have sent them to your Majestie by this Bearer but that the Ship was not of sufficiencie nor strength to carrie so Noble Personages and will send them whensoever your Highness please So there resteth nothing to quiet this part of the World but your Majesties assistance which I daily expect Thus most Mighty Monarch I humbly take my leave and do kiss your Royal hands beseeching the Almighty of your Majesties health and happiness Your Majesties most humble at all command James Desmond From my Camp the XIV of March MD XCIX Copia vera concordans cum Originali examinat per Tho. White Mayor of Waterford Another Letter of the same date To the most mighty Monarch of the World the Great King of Spain give these at his most Princely Palace at Madrid YOur Majesty shall understand that the Bearer hereof Captain M S. F 97. fol. 188. Andrew Roche hath been always in the service of the Queen of England and hath performed her manifold services at Sea whereby he had great preferment and credit and being of late time conversant with Catholicks and â—eachers of Divine Instructions that were sorry for his lewd life made known unto him the danger wherein his soul was So that by their godly perswasions he was at that time reclaimed and converted to be a good Catholick and to spend the residue of his life in the defence and service of the Church Since which time of reconcilement he was to repair to your Majesty with his Ship and Goods as 't is well known to your Highness Council who consiscated that Ship to your Majesties use himself being at that time strucken with extream sickness that he was not able to proceed in the Voyage and when his company return'd into Ireland they reported that the a a Adelantado or the Spanish Admiral Lantado wished rather his Person then his Ship which made him fearful ever since to repair thâ—ther till he should deserve his freedom by some worthy service to your Majesty The b b Let some Romanist tell us the meaning of this for none was Hâ—â—buâ— King 〈◊〉 Vâ— of 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 England Heir Apparent to the Crown of England had been carryed â—y him to your Highness but that he was bewrayed by some of his own men and thereby was intercepted and himself taken prisoner where he remain'd so long till by the providence of God and the help of good friends he was convey'd into Ireland to me in a small boat â—â—d having thâ—se occasions to your Majesty and being assured of his trust faith and confidence towards me have committed this charge into his hands the rather for that I understand your Royal Fleet is directed for England this year to the end he may be a Leader and Condâ—ctor to them in the Coast of England and Ireland being very expert in the knowledge thereof and in the whole Art of Navigation And thus with all humility I commit your Highness to the Almighty Your Majesties most humble at all command James Desmond From my Camp the XIV or March MD LXXXXIX Copia vera concordans cum Originali examinat
And his Countryman Paulus Melissus seems as it were to bestow his whole time in her c Poet. Germ. vol. 4. pag. 342 418 425 428 440 441 443 452 462 468 478 486 493. praises and at last endeavours to go as high as his wit could reach so far will he have her above all other Goddesses d Id. pag. 475. Te Venerem te Junonem te Pallade quisquis Dixerit haud abs re dixerit ille puto Quin idem Charin Musam te dixerit imo Musa es Musarum tu Charitumque Charis Ignoscas Regina minus quam par sit aequum Dicenti laudis copia quanta tui est Divitiis Juno forma Venus Indole Pallas Dote Charis cedit nomine Musa tibi Junones Veneres Charitas Musasque Minervasque Omnes una simul tu superare potis Cui culper si te Divis ex omnibus unam Natam Pantheiam virgo Britanna loquar Amongst the Belgians e Poet Belg. vol. 2 pag. 681 718 719 721 Janus Gruterus so famous for his Learning is her great admirer And of later days f De laudibus vica Elizabetha Adolphus van Dans hath wrote a whole book in her Commendations Nay Johannes Bochius of Bruxels who was so inveterate against her Government and Religion that he assisted Richard Verstegan in the composing of his lying and bloudy Theatre yet cannot let her pass without this grand applause g Poet. Belg. vol. 1. pag. 800. Pallas Juno Venus nemorosae in frondibus Idae Discrimen formae cum subiere suae Inter formosas si tu Dea quarta fuisses Vicisses reliquas O Dea pulchra Deas Quam Juno jejuna foret quam pallida Pallas Quam Dea vana Venus quam Dea sola fores How ready she was to answer Ambassadors and other people in several Languages on the sudden Historians do h Edm. Howe 's enlargement of Stow pag. 813 814 815. testifie at large But one thing I finde Recorded of her which is not usual that when three Ambassadors viz. the Imperial French and Swedish addrest themselves to her at the same time she on the sudden i Rog. Ascham Epist Sturmio answer'd each of them in different Languages the first of them in Italian the second in French and the third in Latine k Epist dedicat ad artem Gram. Vossius l Hist Belg. l. 1. Meteranus m Lib. 82. l. 119. Thuanus and a world of other Learned Writers have weilded their Pens in her Commendations and though some Popes have endeavoured as far as in them lay to over-cloud her Reputation by commanding the Commendatory expressions in her behalf to be dasht out of n Index librorum Prohibitorum Cambden and some other Writers yet I finde Pope Sixtus V a very Zealous Assertor of his Pontifical Chair to bestow upon her and Henry the Fourth of France this following noble Character a Persaepe auditus est cum dicerat toto orbe se unum virum â—oeminam videre dignos nisi labe sectaria infecti essent qui Regnarent quibus cum ipse de ingeâ—ribus rebus consilia quae animo agitabat communi caret Navarrum Elizabetham Reginam intelligens Aug. Thuan. Hist lib. 82 and Perefixe Hist Henry le grand part 1. That amongst all the Princes of the world he could finde but two viz. Queen Elizabeth and Navar setting aside their opinions in Religion who were worthy to Rule and with whom he could most fittingly consult and take advice Having thus somewhat hinted on her Commendations and at last brought the Pope himself to be an Advocate for her Discretion Prudence and good Government we may now the more exactly perceive where the Shooe pincheth and what is the cause of the ill will against her Not denying but that she as well as the best of Monarchs might have some miscarriages and oversights in such a long Raign as she continued especially since the Earl of Leicester and some others had the Fortune to sway in her time it being granted that Robert Dudly was as great an Oppressor as ever breath'd for a Favourite and so let him and all such never be mentioned but with ignominy As for her Religion whether Haeretical or not As the Question is too large to be here discuss'd so is it nothing to the purpose seeing Religion doth not intitle one to Kingdoms nor is Dominion founded in Grace a Pagan having as much right to his Goods and Territories as the best of Christians to what is his As to her personal concerns no question but she thought her self in the best and surest way to her Salvation And as she was a Princess of great Ingenuity and Parts understood many Languages read many Books and was so studious as to translate some her self out of Greek Latine and French so we need not doubt but thus furnisht and industrious in Learning she was able to give a good account of her Religion and to vindicate it and her self And as for Religion as it related to the publick it hath had famous Champious and Martyrs to justifie it and to wipe off all the pretended blots of Schism and Heresie which malice or ignorance could throw upon it for a farther proof of which it being not material to my History in hand I shall refer the Reader to Bishop Bramhal Bishop Morton Dr. Hammond Mr. Hooker Mr. Mason and suchlike Learned Defenders of our Church Certain it is that every Kingdom is supream within it self and 't is as true that the Religion in England was reform'd in a peaceable and legal manner by the greatest Authority in it viz. the Prince Parliament and Convocation of Divines Regulation here did not begin at the wrong end it was not carryed on by any b Vid Chr. 〈◊〉 Câ—ta 〈◊〉 Relig. â—â—ag 11. Rebellious Leagues or Covenants The Soveraign was free and not fought to a compliance and as we may suppose the reasons to be just so are we certain that it was acted by the highest Authority in the Kingdom which is according to the Laws of God and Mâ—n and the practice of other Potentates both ancient and modeâ—â— As 〈◊〉 â—he alteration it self we may suppose it was done with dâ—e â—â—â—sideration being acted by such a considerable Body and Authâ—rity and not on a sudden but by degrees as they found just occasion to reject and admit And as on the one hand we may suppose it was agreeable to the Majority of the Laity considering it past their Representives the Parliament nor opposed by any considerable number after so year 1559 may we justly conclude it conformable to the sentiments of the Clergy seeing that the Parishes Headships of Colledges and Halls in the Universities with the Prebendships Bishopricks and the other Dignities of the Church in England and Wales did then amount to the number of very neer ten thousand Yet of all that number of Preferments adding to them the Lord
qui nos in hoc supremo Justitiae Throno licet tanto oneri impares voluit collocare de Apostolica potestatis plenitudine Declaramus praedictam Elizabetham Haereticam Haereticorum Fautricem eique adhaerentes in praedict is Anathematis sententiam incurrisse esseque a Christi Corporis unitate praeeisos Quin etiam ipsam praetenso Regni praedicti jure necnon omni quocunque Dominio Dignitate Privilegioque privatam Et etiam Proceres Subditos Populos dicti Regni ac caeteros omnes qui illi quomodocunque juraverunt a juramento hujusmodi ac omni prorsus Dominii fidelitatis obsequii debito perpetuo absolutos prout Nos illos praesentium Authoritate Absolvimus Privamus eandem Elizabetham praetenso jure Regni aliisque omnibus supra dict is Praecipimusque Interdicimus universis singulis Proceribus Subditis Populi aliis praedict is ne illi ejusve monitis Mandatis legibus audeant obedire qui secus egerint eos simili Anathematis sententia innodamus Quia vero difficile nimis esset Praesentes quocunque illis opus erit perferre Volumus ut eorum Exempla Notarii Publici manu Praelati Ecclesiastici ejusve Curiae Sigillo obsignata eandem illam prorsus fidem in judicio extra illud ubique Gentium faciant quam ipsae praesentes facerent si essent exhibitae Datum Romae apud S. Petrum Anno Incarnationis Dominicae Millesimo Quingentesimo Sexagesimo Nono Quinto Kalend b b Their Bullaâ—ia Edit Rom. 1638. by a mistake hath V K al. Maii but the former Edit viz. Rom. 1617. in this is right enough Martii Pontificatus nostri Anno Quinto Cae. Glorierius H. Cumyn The Sentence declaratory of our Holy Lord Pope Pius V. against Elizabeth the pretended Queen of England and the Hereticks adhering to her Wherein also all her Subjects are declared Absolved from the Oath of Allegiance and whatever else due unto her and those who hereafter obey her are hereby Anathematiz'd Pius Bishop servant of the servants of God for a future Memorial of the matter HE who Raigneth in the Highest to whom is given all power in Heaven and in Earth hath committed one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church out of which there is no Salvation to one alone upon Earth namely to Peter the the chief of the Apostles and to Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome to be govern'd in fulness of power Him alone he made Prince over all People and all Kingdoms with power a To pluck up destroy scatter consume plant and to build that he may continue the Faithful who are knit together with the bond of Charity in the Unity of the Spirit and present them safe and unblameable to their Saviour In discharge of which Function we who are by the goodness of God call'd to the Government of the foresaid Church do spare no pains labouring with all earnestness that Unity and Catholick Religion which the Author thereof hath for the tryal of his Childrens Faith and for our amendment suffer'd to be punish'd with so great afflictions might be preserv'd whole and uncorrupt But the number of the ungodly have gotten such power that there is no place left in the whole World which they have not endeavour'd to corrupt with their most wicked Doctrines Amongst others Elizabeth the Pretended Queen of England and the servant of wickedness hath assisted thereunto in whom as in a Sanctuary the most pernicious of all have found a refuge This very woman having seiz'd on the Kingdom and monstrously usurping the place of Supreme Head of the Church of all England and the chief Authority and jurisdiction thereof hath again brought back the said Kingdom into miserable distraction which was but even then newly reduced to the Catholick faith and an hopeful condition For having by strong hand forbid the Exercise of the true Religion which Mary a lawful Queen of famous Memory had by the assistance of this See restored after it had been overthrown by Henry VIII a Revolter from the Truth She following and imbracing the errors of Hereticks hath removed the Royal Council consisting of the Nobility of England and fill'd it with obscure Heretical fellows hath supprest the embracers of the Catholick Faith setled dishonest Preachers and wicked Ministers abolish'd the Sacrifice of the Mass Prayers Fastings choice of Meats unmarried life and the Catholick Ceremonies commanded all the Kingdom over Books manifestly Heretical to be read and impious Mysteries and Institutions according to the Rules of Calvin which she her self entertains and receiveth to be likewise observed by her Subjects She hath presumed to throw Bishops Parsons and other Catholick Priests out of their Churches and Benefices and to bestow their and other Church-livings upon Hereticks and to determine of Ecclesiastical matters to forbid the Bishops Clergy and People to acknowledge the Church of Rome or to obey the Precepts or Canonical Sanctions thereof Hath compell'd most of them to obey her wicked Laws and to abjure the Authority and Obedience of the Bishop of Rome and by Oath to acknowledge her to be sole Governess as well in Spiritual as Temporal Affairs Hath impos'd penalties and punishments upon those who obey'd not the same hath exacted them of those who persevered in the Unity of Faith and their foresaid Obedience and hath cast the Catholick Prelates and Parsons into Prison where many of them being spent with long languishing and sorrow miserably ended their lives All which things seeing they are manifest and notorious to all men and by the clearest Testimony of very many so sufficiently proved that there is no place at all left either for excuse defence or evasion We seeing that impieties and wicked actions are multiplyed one upon another and moreover that the Persecution of the Faithful and Affliction for Religion groweth every day heavyer and heavyer through the instigation and means of the said Elizabeth We therefore understanding her minde to be so hardned and obdurate that she hath not onely contemn'd the Godly requests and admonitions of Catholick Princes concerning her amendment and conversion but also hath not so much as permitted the a a Abbot Parpalia 〈…〉 Martiningo 1560 1561. Nuncio's of this See to pass into England are necessitated to betake our selves to the weapons of Justice against her not being able to mitigate our sorrow that we are drawn to take Punishment of one to whose Ancestors all Christendom hath been so much beholden Being therefore supported by his Authority who hath placed Us though unable for so great a burthen in the Supreme Throne of Justice We do out of the fulness of our Apostolical power declare the foresaid heretical Elizabeth being the favourer of Hereticks with all her adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incur'd the sentence of Anathema and to be cut off from the unity of Christs body And we also declare her to be deprived of her pretended Title to the Kingdom aforesaid and
the Church of England Likewise I must confess that the Course we held was so pleasing to such as saw it or were informed of it by those that they trusted as it proved very gainful unto us all that were Priests We had out of Question procured unto our selves very great Favour Credit and Reputation So as it was no marvail if some young Gentlemen as Mr. Babington and the rest were allured to those strange attempts which they took in hand by Mr. Ballard who was an Agent amongst us They saw as they supposed for both Mr. Babington and divers of his Company were oftentimes at the Exorcisings that we had a great commandment over Devils which prevail'd greatly with them as I think It would have been a very strange thing I am perswaded that we could not have wrought men at that time to attempt which was prudently foreseen by Father Edmunds of purpose as I am resolved in my conscience to prepare the hearts and mindes of Catholicks by those practices that when such forces as were intended should have come into England they might have been more readily drawn by him and us to have joyned their forces with them And this is that I can say concerning the occasions or inducements that such matters were taken in hand at the time articulated Now as touching the substance of the general Interrogatory it self I have perused the several Examinations and Confessions of Sara Williams and Friswood her Sister of Anne Smith and of Richard Mainy Gentleman and am fully perswaded that they have deposed the truth in such points whereof they were examined belonging to their pretended Possession and Dispossession The effect whereof is that they were drawn by our cunning carriage of matters to seem as though they had been possess'd when as in truth they were not neither were there any of the Priests ignorant in my conscience of their dissimulation nor the parties themselves as now it appeareth of our dissembled proceeding with them After I had been my self first at one of their Exorcisings it was my chance to lye that night with Mr. Thomson a Priest and a great Actor in those matters at his chamber by the Spittle and falling into some conference about it I used some such words as though I doubted whether the party were actually and really possessed For I my self being not acquainted with any plot devised by Fa. Edmunds or any other spake my minde somewhat more plainlie then I perceive Mr. Thomson well liked of His answer to me was in effect that He being my friend did earnestly wish me to cast forth no such speeches whatsoever I did think For quoth he the matter is judged to be so by Father Edmunds and some others that are Priests Besides such Catholicks as have been present at such fits have received it for a truth that the parties are possess'd And although I for my part will not make it an Article of my Creed yet I think that Godly credulity doth much good for the farthering of the Catholick Cause and for the defacing of our common Enemies and their proceedings Or to this effect Not long after also talking with Mr. Stamp at the Lord Vaux his house in Hackney concerning these matters and demanding of him seriously his opinion what he thought of them his answer was That they were things of such importance as would farther the Catholick Cause more then all the Books that had been written of late years about the controversies in Religion with the Protestants With which answer I seemed to rest contented because I saw thereby he was not willing to enter into any plainer course with me For although both my self as I said before and so I think of the rest did know that all was but counterfeit yet for as much as we perceived that thereby great credit did grow to the Catholick Cause and great discredit to the Protestants we held it lawful to do as we did c. Anth. Tyrrell June 25. 1602. Mr. a Foot out of the snare New shreds to the old snare Hold fast Gee will afford you more hints of their cheats and juglings whither I refer the Reader and the b Pag. 64. F. Author of Father Paulâ— life writes against such Stage-play-Exorcisms or Puppy-Devils But to prosecute our History the Queen was seldom without dishonourable attempts against her Don Bernardin de Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador in England and afterwards a busie blade for the Covenanters in France here he disingeniously forgetting his place falls a plotting against the Queen and incourageth others to it for which he was forbid the Kingdoms and so sneak'd into France But we shall presently meet with another Ambassador more unworthy then the former and this is l'Aubespine the French Ambassador then lying in England one wholly given up to the Guisian faction Nothing will serve him but the murther of the Queen to effect which he tâ—mpers with one Mr. William Stafford a Gentleman of good Relations And at last by his Secretary Trappie deals more openly and plainly with him promiseth him not onely Riches but great Honour and special favour with the Pope the Duke of Guise and with all Catholicks whatever Stafford refuseth so bloudy an enterprise but tells him of one Moody then in Prison as one desperate enough for any designe Moody is talk'd with gladly undertakes it provided he might be freed out of Prison They consult of the manner Moody propoundeth Poyson or a bag of Gun-powder laid under her bed and secretly fired But neither of these pleas'd Trappie who better discover'd his meaning by wishing that such another bold fellow might be found as was that a Bâ—ltazer Gerard who pistosâ—d William Prince of Orange in Delfe anno 1584. 10 of July Some say that he was instigated by some Jesuits to perpetrate this murther However Orange deserved better at Gerards hands having shew'd him some friendship and favour Gerard was taken and suffer'd death without any repentance or signe of grief for his fault Burgundian who had kill'd the Prince of Orange Mr. Stafford having consider'd with himself the heinousness of this Treason goeth and reveals it to the Queens Council whereupon Trappie is seiz'd on just as he thought to have pass'd into France and upon examination confesseth all Upon this the Council sends to speak with the Ambassador he b Jan. 12. 15â—â— waits upon them they tell him the reasons wherefore they secured his Secretary l'Aubespine rants against the Council and pleads the priviledge of his place Stafford and Moody are brought in confess the Treason and positively accuse the Ambassador as the Instigator He on the other hand at first denyeth it then pleads that had he known it yet being an Ambassador he ought not to discover it unless it be to his own Master After some discourse Cecil Lord Burghley gravely admonish'd him to beware how he committed Treason any more or forgot the Duty of an Ambassador and the Queens Clemencie and that he was
jugo Thou who the Pope doth scorn his Laws revoke Shalt yeild thy neck unto the Spanish Yoak And in this hight of idle fancie Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador at Paris in the great Church of Nostre Dame flourish'd his Rapier crying out Victoria but when the contrary News was known the very waggish Pages in the Streets would beg some small Gifts or Preferments in England from his Lordship as such little Villages as London York c. Thus would they jeer the haughtiness of the Spaniard who aim'd at the Government of the whole world and it may be Alexander-like not content with it neither to which purpose I remember this Distich Praeda licet non sit mundus satis ampla Philippo Ampla satis mundo praeda Philippus erit But though the Spaniard thought his Fleet and Forces invincible yet to make all Cock-sure he would have the Royal-Standard belonging to them to be blest and sanctified and that with as great Ceremony and Devotion as heart could invent There was then in Portugal one Maria de la Visitation Prioress of the Monastery De la Anunciada at Lisbone She for some years Vid. Cyprian Valera at the end had so cunningly carryed her self as a great Saint pretending to be so well acquainted with Christ that she used to call him Husband had St. Francis-like his Wounds or Marks imprinted on her undertook to Prophesie and do Miracles insomuch as Pope King and Bishops as well as other credulous Romanists put no small trust and confidence in her Sanctity This is the good wench they pitch'd on to bless the Royal Standard with Victory It was carryed in Procession by Don Francisco de Cordova the tallest blade amongst them there being present the better to honour this grand Ceremony Albert the Arch-duke and then Cardinal and Governour of Portugal the Papal Nuncio the Archbishop Prime Inquisitor the Duke of Medina Sidonia Commander of the great Fleet with many Nobles Prelates Gentry and others that such a concurse of people had scarce been seen Maria the gifted Nun with many Ceremonies giveth it her grave and pretty blessing presents it to the Conde Medina Sidonia pronouncing good success with Victory to him and his Fleet and that he should return a Conqueror At this good and sure Token we may suppose the people mad with joy but the bad Event cool'd their courage and which was to them as great a wonder the latter end of this same year this their Holy Maria proved a meer Cheat and Imposture yet in her predictions concerning the good endeavours of Pope Sixtus V our a Sed supra omnes alias praesumptiones laetasque hominum praesagiones de hac Pontifice illud unum maxime omnium animis inhaeret aâ— spe quadam â—erta replet suturorum bonotum quod FOEMINA ILLA SANCTISSIMA Vâ—siponensis cujus hodie tam evidentia cernuntur evidentia miracula ac per Universum mundum Testimoniis certissimis confiâ—mantur multis diebus priuâ—quam moriretur aut aegrotaret Gregorius XIII praedixit illius mortem revolatam fibi à Domino alteriusque successionem in cujus Pontificatu sua Divina Potestas constituisse dicebat magna quaedam facere ad sâ—um honorem Ecclesiaeque utilitatem c. Crudelitatis Calvinianae Exemplâ— duo recentissima ex Anglia Printed in octavo 1585. English-Romanists put no small confidence And the truth is Sixtus V was as furious against Elizabeth as their hearts could wish and very active in this Spanish Invasion for the carrying on of which he had not onely promised the assistance of his b Ant. Cicarella in vita Sexti V. Treasure but his Papal Curse to boot whereby he undertook to deprive the Queen of her Kingdoms and Dominions Absolving her Subjects from their Allegiance publishing his Crusaido as against Turks and Infidels whereby out of his kinde-heartedness to Rebellion he gave Plenary Indulgences and Pardon of all sins to all who gave their helping hand With this goodly stuff William Allen a little before made a Cardinal is sent into the Netherlands the better to encourage the English Romanists to Rebellion Allen pulls out his Papal Tool which he forgeth into a Pamphlet in the English Language which he prints at Antwerp calling it The Declaration of the Sentence of Sixtus Quintus And as a farther interpretation of the Papal intent and the better to ingage the English to Rebellion he joynes a second Part to it call'd An Admonition to the Nobility and People of England And that the Reader may better understand the honesty of the Paper take the sum of it thus IT begins with calling the Queens Government impious Em. Meteram Hist Belg. lib. 15 p. 473 474. Sam. Purchas Pilgrimes vol. 4. lib. 10. cap. 11. pag. 1895 1896. and unjust her self an Usurper obstinate and impenitent and so no good to be expected unless she be deprived Therefore Pope Sixtus V moved by his own and his Predecessors zeal and the vehement desire of some principal Englishmen hath used great diligence with divers Princes especially with the Spanish King to use all his force that she might be turn'd out of her Dominions and her Adherents punished And all this for good Reasons Because she is an Heretick Schismatick is Exommunicated by former Popes is Contumacious Disobedient to the Roman Bishop and hath taken to her self the Ecclesiastical Jurisdion over the a No such thing souls of men Because she hath against all Law and Right usurped the Kingdom seeing none forsooth must be Monarchs of England but by the leave and consent of the Pope Because she hath committed many Injuries Extortions and other wrongs against her Subjects Because she hath stir'd up Seditions and Rebellions between the Inhabitants of Neighbour-Countries Because she hath entertain'd b What did the Pope and Spaniard do Fugitives and Rebels of other Nations Because she sent and procured the c A slanderous untruth Turk to invade Christendom Because she persecuted the English Romanists cut off the d Though I wish it had not been done as being an Enemy to bloudshed yet the Romanists were the chief Promoters of her death by continually thrusting her on to new designes against Queen Elizabeth But whether is worse Queen Elizabeth to put to death the Queen of Scots no way ingaged to her or the English Romanists to seek and endeavour the Murther of Queen Elizabeth their own Soveraign to whom they owed all Allegiance and Service Nor is this so Bad as the poysoning of the Queen of Navar and the Massacre at Paris 1572. Queen of Scots and abolished the Roman Religion Because she hath rejected and excluded the ancient Nobility and promoted to honour obscure people and also useth Tyranny Wherefore seeing these offences some of them rendring her uncapable of the Kingdom others unworthy to live His Holyness by the power of God and the Apostles Reneweth the Censures of Pius V and Gregory XIII against her Excommunicates and deprives her of all
goeth to Greenwich where the Court then was watcheth opportunity and being informed that the Queen was to ride abroad goeth to her Horse holds him according to his place and cunningly puts strong poyson upon the Pummel of the Saddle yet saying with a loud voice as she mounted God save the Queen But such was the providence that her Majesty neither in getting up riding or getting down once touch'd the Pummel yet he doubted not but that in time it would work the intended ruine fully perswaded the Queen had laid her hands on it Presently after this the Earl of Essex set sail for the Island-voyage against the Spaniard And in this Fleet Squire ventured once more as a Souldier with which he return'd into England and lived for some time securely not thinking that he should ever be discover'd But see the luck on 't of this poyson being great expectation amongst some and seeing no signes of any such effect they became incensed against Squire thinking that he had left them and the Cause in the lurch and meerly deluded them Thus jealous and inraged a revenge is resolved on and Squire cunningly accused of some designe against the Queen Squire upon the noise is examined and wondring how any thing should be known against him yet suspecting Walpoole his Confessor and believing year 1598 all was fully discover'd freely confesseth all as abovesaid so as a Traytor is condemn'd and executed Of these late bloudy Treasons Watson and Bluet two Priests thus in Print declare to the world Father Holt the Jesuit and others with him perswaded an See Bels Anatomy p. 22 23. Irishman one Patrick Collen as himself confessed to attempt the laying of his violent and villanous hands upon her Majesty Shortly after 1593 that notable stratagem was plotted for Dr. Lopez the Queens Physitian to have poysoned her This wicked designation being thus prevented by Gods providence the Traiterous Jesuit Holt and others did allure and animate one York and Williams to have accomplish'd that with their bloudy hands that the other purposed to have done with his poyson we mean her Majesties destruction Hereunto we may add the late villanous attempt 1599 of Edward Squire animated and drawn thereunto as he confessed by Walpoole that pernitious Jesuit These words are set down in their Important Considerations pag. 33. And yet Father a Answer to the fiâ—th part of Sir Edw. Cokes Reports Epist Dedicat. v. 2. Parsons doubts whether Squire for all this committed Treason or no such was the loyalty and honesty of this Jesuit Thus in part have we seen the great dangers Queen Elizabeth run through her life being continually sought after both by her own subjects and Forreigners nor did they want incouragements to oppose their own Queen and Country Pope Gregory XIII allowed them a b See the Bull tom 2. p. 319. Colledge at Rome the Guisians in France another aâ— c Sixtus V by Bull desires all to assist it ib. p. 411. Rhemes the Spaniard gave them one at d Clement VIII confirmed this vid Sand. de Schism lib. 4. sive Appendix p. 104. Valladolid in Castile and allowed them e See Thomas Fuller's Church-Hist lib. 9. Cambden anno 1595. others in other places besides allowed the chiefest of them Pensions and maintain'd many hundred English in his Wars though his pay and Pensions were but badly paid to them yet more and better then such Trayterous Fugitives deserved And for all these Pensions private fees for Treason and vast Treasure spent in his attempts against the Queen what did the Spanish King expect for a recompence but the Crown and Kingdom of England for the obtaining of which the nearest that he came was once viz. July 1595. when Diego Brocher with four Callies got very early in a morning unperceived upon the Coâ—sts of Cornwal struck into Mounts Bay by St. Michaels Mount fired Pauls Church standing alone in the Fields Mouseholes Meulin and Pensâ—ns three poor fisher-Towns and presently stole home again without killing one man This beggerly enterprize was all the reward and recompence of his vast Treasure and toyl spent against England And let them never prosper otherwise who attempt any mischief against it and so unworthily foment and maintain Traytors against their respective legal Soveraigns But better had it been for Philip and Spain if he had followed the advice of his Grand-father Charles V that famous Emperour who used often to lay down this for a certain Rule insomuch that it was one of his Proverbs Con todo el mundo guerra Y puse con Inglatierra With all the world make War But with England do not Jar. Whilst these Murtherers were according to their engagements consulting the death of the Queen we must not think the Spanish interest altogether Idle but they had also their other Instruments and preparations on foot the better to secure this Kingdom to them upon her fall As for the Jesuits how active they were for the disturbance of England a Romanist himself shall tell you his words are these We have also certain intelligence that the Jesuits have devised a A. â— Reply to a notorious Libel p. 81 82. means to have had the Tower of London seized into their hands and how they would have it held until the Spaniard came to rescue them Divers of their Letters have been shewed to divers prisoners for proof against them when they have answered in defence of the Jesuits that they thought them free from such stratagems and amongst the rest there is one of the XX of June 1596 wherein there are these words It may be if the Kings faintness and pusillanimity hinder us not as heretofore it hath the Armado will be with you about August or September This is one good help Ireland will be onely for us The Earl of Tyrone and Odonnel would gladly have help from hence and they are well contented to let the Spaniards have certain Holds and Forts for their uses This will greatly pleasure to trouble and disquiet England and in the mean time serve for Harbour for their Ships that shall pass that way c. It were necessary you should make it known aforehand that no Catholick man or woman shall take harm either in body or goods Let every man be quiet till the Spaniards be landed then shall there presently Proclamation be made of all security Of these Proclamations there were two hundred printed in Spain Amongst other contrivances to bring this Kingdom into confusion was the designe of Anthony Rolston an English Fugitive Cambden an 1598. who was sent over into England by the Spanish Agitators and Father Creswell under pretence of procuring a Peace but the truth was as Rolston himself confessed to discover what provisions there were for war to incourage the Romanists and by Bribes and fair promises to corrupt some great Lords about the Queen amongst the rest Essex as the said Earl confess'd himself And the better to make cock-sure and carry
all before them another Fleet is prepared to invade England and for a further encouragement as well of English as others to be assistants in this enterprise their Lord high Admiral draws up a Proclamation which was printed and published and you may Dr. Mat. Sutcliff's Blessings on Mount Gerizzim or the happy Estate of England pag 292 293 294 295. take it as followeth as I meet with it COnsidering the Obligation which his Catholick Majesty my Lord and Master hath received of God Almighty to defend and protect his holy Faith and the Apostolical Roman Church he hath procured by the best means he could for to reduce to the ancient and true Religion the Kingdoms of England and Ireland as much as possibly hath been in his power And all hath not been sufficient to take away the offence done against God in damage of the self-same Kingdoms with scandal of whole Christianity yea rather abusing the Clemencie and Benignity of his Catholick Majesty the heads and chief of the Hereticks which little fear God have taken courage to extend their evil Doctrine with the oppressing of Catholicks Martyring them and by divers ways and means taking from them their lives and goods b b He hath forgot the Spanish Inquisition forcing them by violence to follow their damnable Sects and Errours which they have hardly done to the loss of many souls Which considered his Catholick Majesty is determin'd to favour and protect those Catholicks which couragiously have defended the Catholick Faith and not onely those but such also as by pusillanimity and humane respects have consented unto them forced thereunto through the hard and cruel dealings of the said Catholicks Heretical Enemies And for the execution of his holy Zeal he hath commanded me that with force by Sea and Land which be and shall be at my charge to procure all means necessary for the reduction of the said Kingdoms unto the obedience of the Catholick Roman Church In Complement of the which I declare and protest that these Forces shall be imploy'd for to execute this holy intent of his Catholick Majesty directed onely to the common good of the true Religion and Catholicks of those Kingdoms as well those which be alreadie declared Catholicks as others who will declare themselves such For all shall be received and admitted by me in his Royal Name which shall separate and apart themselves from the Hereticks And furthermore they shall be restored to the Honour Dignity and Possessions which heretofore they have been deprived of Moreover every one shall be rewarded according to the Demonstrations and Feats which shall be shown in this Godly enterprise And who shall proceed with most valour the more largely and amply shall be remunerated with the goods of obstinate Hereticks Wherefore seeing Almighty God doth present to his Elect so good an occasion therefore I for the more security Ordain and Command the Captains General of Horse and Artillerie the Master General of the Field the Captains of Companies of Horse and Foot and all other Officers greater and lesser and men of War the Admiral General and the rest of the Captains and Officers of the Army that as well at Land as Sea they use well and receive the Catholicks of those Kingdoms who shall come to defend the Catholick Cause with Arms or without them For I command the General of the Artillery that he provide them of Weapons which shall bring none Also I Ordain and straitly command that they have particular respect unto the Houses and Families of the said Catholicks not touching as much as may be any thing of theirs but onely of those that will obstinately follow the part of Hereticks in doing of which they be altogether unworthy of those favours which be here granted unto the good who will declare themselves for true Catholickes and such as shall take Arms in hand or at least separate themselves from the Hereticks against whom and their favourers all this War is directed in defence of the honour of God and good of those Kingdoms trusting in Gods Divine mercy that they shall recover again the Catholick Religion so long agone lost and make them return to their ancient quietness and felicity and to the due obedience of the holy Primitive Church Moreover these Kingdoms shall enjoy former immunities and priviledges with encrease of many others for time to come in great friendship confederacie and traffick with the Kingdom of his Catholick Majesty which in times past they were wont to have for the publick good of all Christianity And that this be put in execution speedily I exhort all the faithful to the fulfilling of that which is here contain'd warranting them upon my word which I give in the name of the Catholick King my Lord and Master that all shall be observed which is here promised And thus I discharge my self of the losses and damages which shall fall upon those which will follow the contrary way with the ruine of their own souls the hurt of their own Country and that which is more the honour and glory of God And he which cannot take presently Arnis in hand nor declare himself by reason of the tyranny of the Hereticks shall be admitted from the Enemies Camp and shall pass to the Catholick part in some skirmish or battel or if he cannot he shall flee before we come to the last encounter In testimony of all which I have commanded to dispatch these presents confirmed with my Hand sealed with the Seal of mine Arms and Refirmed by the Secretary underwritten Though Father Parsons was very solicitous to understand the W. Clarkes Reply unto a Libel fol. 65. success of these preparations yet he did not expect any great matters to be performed by them and so it fell out to the no small grief we need not question of many Romanists And to augment the sorrow of the Hispanioliz'd Faction the death of the Spanish King hapned the same year to whom succeeded his son Philip III of whose attempts against Queen Elizabeth you may hear in the next Century The end of the seventh Book THE HISTORY Of the HOLY League AND Covenant IN FRANCE BOOK VIII CHAP. I. An INTRODUCTION to the HOLY LEAGUE THE Beginning of this Century had like to have been year 1502 troublesom to Germany by a mischievous League designed in the Bishoprick of Spire by a Company of barbarous clownish rustick High-shooes and so by the Germans t is Nicol. Basel Addit ad Chroâ— Naucleri p. 394. L. ur Sâ—râ—â— Com p 3â— call'd Bundiscuch These like our Levellers were to raise themselves into as high a Grandeur as any by swearing to reduce all other men to their meanness by equalling all mankind into the same condition by rooting out all Magistracy Dignities and Laws As for the Church which is continually struck at by Traitors and such Sacrilegious Wretches she was not to escape their Villanies they designing to rob her of her Revenues Titles and Decency to
The same Afternoon he began to write the Speech as near as he could remember Which done he commanded Mr. Warmington one of his Chaplains and two other his Gentlemen to write out Copies thereof which he afterwards presented to the Cardinals his friends for which they thank'd him and upon perusal affirm'd it to be the very Oration which Sixtus had utter'd in the Consistory And as his Chaplain confesseth it is said the Pope liked his doing therein acknowledging it to be really his Speech And all this the said * A Modeâ—ate Deâ—â—â—â—â— p. 148. Mr. William Warmington Chaplain to Cardinal Allan and an honest and loyal Roman Priest doth publickly confess and testifie And so we need trouble our selves no more about it since Bellarmine at last doth in a manuer acknowledge it and falls a vindicating of it Amongst the rest who in these troubles set themselves to scrible down obedience was an Englishman viz. William Reynolds then in the Low Countries under the Spanish Dominion what he writ on this subject was by the desire of some of the chief French Covenanters and under the false name of * His book was calâ—'d De justa Christianae Reipub. in Reges impios Haereticos autoritate Guillielmus Rosseus Mr. Warmington sent a Copy of the Popes speech from Rome to him for which Reynolds returned him many thanks glad that he had so got the approbation of the Roman Bishop to vindicate his Arguments of a Conditional subjection of whom I hope by the way will not be taken amiss this following story as we find it This Mr. William Reynolds was at first a Protestant according to the Church of England and of New College in Oxford and Brother to him was John Reynolds him of Corpus Christi College in Oxford famous for his great Reading who was bred up in Popery beyond Sea William as the story goeth with an intent to reclame his brother John makes a journey to him beyond Sea where in a Conference it so fell out that John as they say being overcome by his Brothers Arguments returns into England and as people use to love and run into extremes was a little teâ—â—ing to Puritanism as his siding in Hampton Court Conference may somewhat testifie yet he died a true Church of England man every way conformable to the Canons nor was he ever but peaceable and moderare loving obedience and his studies more then frantick zele and innovations according to the giddy fury of our hot-headed Puritans On the other side his brother William as they say being convinced by the reasons of his brother John staid beyond Sea where he proved a violent and virulent Papist by his writings declaring that Protestants were no better then Turks nay that they were worse then Pagans Of this strange change Dr. William Alabaster an excellent Poet and one who had made trials also of both Religions made this following Epigram Pella inter geminos plusquam civilia fratres Traxerat ambiguus Religionis apex Ille Reformatae fidei pro partibus instat Iste reformandum denegat esse fidem Propositis causa rationibus alterutrinque Concurrere pares cecidere pares Quod fuit in votis fratrem capit alteruterque Quod fuit in fatis perdit uterque fidem Captivi gemini sine captivante fuerant Et victor victi transfuga castra petit Quod genus hoc pugni est ubi victus gaudet uterque Et tamen alteruter se superasse dolet Which is thus rendered by the Ingenious Doctor Peter Heylyn Cosmogr l. 1. p. 267. In points of Faith some undetermin'd jars Betwixt two brothers kindled civil wars One for the Churches Reformation stood The other thought no Reformation good The points propos'd they traversed the field With equal skill and both together yield As they desir'd his brother each subdues Yet such their fate that each his Faith doth lose Both Captives none the prisoners thence to guide The Victor flying to the vanquish'd side Both joy'd in being conquer'd strange to say And yet both mourn'd because both won the day I have been the longer upon this William Reynolds because he was a great stickler in the French Covenant after the murther of the King coming from the Netherlands to Paris where he vindicated their actions by finishing his former book and dedicating it to the Duke of Mayenne and it was sometimes after printed at Antwerp with great applause of the Roman Party CHAP. VII Cardinal Bourbon declared King by the Leaguers Paris besieged and its Famine relieved by the Duke of Parma HENRY III. a little before his death declared Henry of Navarre to be next Heir to the Crown of France desir'd all the Nobility so to acknowledge him and advised him himself to turn a Romanist as being the onely way both to gain and continue without danger in the Throne And some will tell us of some prophetick observations in behalf Andre du Chesne les Antiquitez de France p. 109 632. of the Family of Bourbon As how Louis de Bourbon the third Duke of that Line who died 1410 building his house call'd Hostel de Bourbon near to the Louvre caused to be written over the Portal in Capital Letters this word ESPERANCE viz. Hope as if he expected some of his Race would ascend the Throne and joyn the two Houses And 't is further observed that in the fine Chapel of Bourbon l'Archambaut de Lys that the same day that the former Henry was stabb'd a clap of thunder whisketh away a Bar which cross'd and touch'd the said window without any damage or harm to the Glass or Painting But leaving these guesses as nothing to our purpose we shall find our Henry IV. no more call'd Navarre but King in great perplexities how to behave himself at this mishap For though the Huguenots freely acknowledged him as King of France yet he was not to trust too much to them lest he should offend the Romanists some of whom shewed also a willingness to allow him for their King without any conditions but the greater part absolutely denied it unless he would assure them to maintain the Roman Religion and give hopes of his own Conversion whilest others of them absolutely renounced him and presently ran over to the Leaguers By which jealousies and Factions this conquering great Army was on a sudden so dwindled away that the King was necessitated to raise the siege and retire for his own security On the other side the Covenanters rejoyce and daily increase many of them persuade the Duke of Mayenne to take upon him the Title of King but this for the present he waveth as thinking his own Interest as yet not strong enough and so with a general consent of the Leaguers old Cardinal Bourbon then in prison at Chinon is declared in their Paris Parlement and publickly proclam'd in the streets of Paris King of France under the names of CHARLES the TENTH coyning their moneys with the Effigies Name and Title of
your own pristine Ingenuity and that you may freely profess the Catholique Faith Therefore my most beloved seeing that which you have so many years before desired and begged for with prayers and tears and that now even now the Pope Christ's Vicar on Earth doth command you to take Arms for the defence of your Faith I admonish exhort and beseech you all all I say unto whom these Letters shall come That as soon as possibly you can you come to us with your Friends and Weapons Whosoever shall do this shall find us prepared and we will communicate unto them those things which we possess and whosoever shall despising our wholsome Counsel do otherwise and remain in the obedience of the English we will prosecute him as an Heretick and a hateful Enemy of the Church even unto Death Don Juan de Aguila The Lord Deputy laid siege to Kingsale which continued long in which time both he received supplies from England and Don Juan from Spain both parties standing sufficiently in need of such As for the Irish many of them who had formerly promised obedience to the Queen now revolted delivering themselves and Castles up to the protection of the Dons Amongst the rest Donnel Osulevan Beare freely gave up to the Spaniard his strong Castle of Dunboy which cost the English much cost and time in re-taking Of which he writ this Letter to the King of Spain IT hath been ever most Mighty and Renowned Prince and most Gracious and Catholick King from time to time manifestly proved by daily experience among us Irish That there is nothing worketh more forcibly in our hearts to win and to draw our love and affection than natural inclination to our Progeny and Off-spring and the memorial of the Friendship which sticketh still in our minds chiefly the same renewed cherished and kept in use by mutual affection and by shewing like friendship to us also We the meer Irish long sithence deriving our Root and Original from the famous and most noble Race of the Spaniards viz. from Milecius son to Bile son to Breogwin and from Lwighe son to Lythy son to Breogwin by the Testimony of our old ancient Books of Antiquities our Pedigrees our Histories and our Chronicles Though there were no other matter we came not as natural branches of the famous Tree whereof we grew but bear an hearty love and a natural affection and intire inclination of our hearts and minds to our ancient most loving Kinsfolks and the most noble Race whereof we descended Besides this my Soveraign such is the abundance of your goodness and the bounty or greatness of your liberality now every way undeserved of our parts as tokens of love and affection by your Majesty shewed unto us that it is not fit nor seemly for us but to bestow cur persons our men and our goods in the service of a Prince that dealeth so graciously with us that sendeth Forces of men great Treasure Victuals and Munition for our aid against our Enemies that seek to overwhelm and extinguish the Catholique Faith diabolically put to death our Chieftains tyrannously coveting our Lands and Livings unlawfully For the aforesaid Considerations and for many other commendable causes me moving I bequeath and offer in humbleness of mind and with all my heart my own person with all my forces perpetually to serve your Majesty not only in Ireland but in any other place where it shall please your Highness I commit also my Wife my Children my Mannors Towns Countrey and Lands and my Haven of Dunboy called Biara Haven next under God to the protection keeping and defence or Commerick of your Majesty to be and remain in your hands and at your disposition Also at your pleasure be it my Liege Lord to send defence and strong keeping of the Haven of Dunboy first for your self my Soveraign to receive your Ships and for me also as your loving Servant so that the Queen of England's Ships may not possess the same before you while I follow the Warrs in your Highness behalf I pray Almighty God to give your Majesty a long life and health of Body and Soul with encrease of Grace and Prosperity So I betake you to the keeping of God From the Camp near Kingsale the xxixth of December 1601. Stylo Novo Your most dutiful loving Servant Donnel Osulevan Beare With an intent to raise the Siege Tyrone O Donnel Mac Guire Mac Maghon Burk Tirrell the best Soldier amongst the Rebels and other Irish hasted towards Kingsale and in their March joined with Alonso de O Campo and his Spanish recruits newly landed all which joined together made up towards VII Thousand The Lord Deputy for all this continueth the siege Tir-Oen and the rest of his Relief approach come within two miles of the Town but is fought and beat his followers quite dispersed Tyrone runs into his hiding-holes in Vlster O-Donnell and others escape into Spain and the rest where they thought most convenient And this Battel may be said to confirm the Queen in Ireland and to secure the Protestants there who had been * Dr. Nic. Bernards life 〈◊〉 Aâ—ch-bishop Vsher pag. 30. slaughter'd by the Irish had the Spaniards here prevailed Don Juan de Aguila seeing the Irish thus routed and his own Forces much impaired both in health and number fell to a Capitulation upon which he yeelded the Town He and his Spaniards were to be sent home and what other places they had in the Kingdom under their protection were likewise to be delivered up to the English and amongst the rest was Dunboy Which place being naturally strong and pretty well fortified Osulevan Beare a man given over to Mischief and Rebellion was resolved year 1602 not to part with it so Whereupon one night he surpriseth it but let the Spaniards return to their own Countrey only the Cannoniers he detain'd the better to serve him in the defence of the place against the English and his Queen concerning which he writes this Letter to the King of Spain My Lord and my King OVT of his love to your Kingly Greatness your humble stedfast Servant Donnel O Sulevan Beare enforced through peril and constraint doth make bold to inform unto your Greatness That upon the landing in Castle-Haven in the West of Ireland your General Pedro Zubiar and Pedro Lopez de Soto with a Fleet and Men from your Greatness according to the inward conceit of mind I always held which I manifested in my young years and would have still followed unless disability had constrained me to the contrary finding a happy and good Opportunity as I imagined I came to their presence tendring my Obeysance to them in the Name of your Highness and being with 400 men at my own cost towards your service I yeelded out of my meer love and good will without compulsion or composition into their hands in the Name of your Majesty not only my Castle and Haven called Beer Haven but also my Wife my Children my Countrey
the good News presented Sir Lewis with a great Gold Chain The Legendiaries will tell us of several men speaking after their heads were cut off and Turrianus the Jesuit will make Clemens several years after he knew that St James was dead yet to write an Epistle of Instructions to the said St. James And Osborn here doth much follow the same wonders by telling us that this story is testified by Cardinal D' Ossat whereas that Cardinal was dead above a year before the Powder-Plot hapned Another mistake he hath saying That the Pope laught at the Flattery whereas Cardinal * Les Ambassades Negotiations par Caesar Ligny l. 3. p. 450 Perron who was the man that told the Pope of the Spanish Ambassy for England saith his Holiness was displeased at the Hypocrisie But to return What was the extent of this Treason and how many were assistants to it is difficult to discover Certain it is that some of the Nobility were suspected imprisoned or fined or call'd in question for not coming up at that time to Parliament About this time they sent over Sir Edmond Baynham to Pope Pius V. And Father Parsons Rector of the English Colledg there orders the Students to pray For the Intention of their Father Rector which made some of them wonder what could be the meaning of such an unusual Prayer not knowing what his Intention was But being afterwards informed of the discovery of the Plot Sixteen of them abhorring such jugling and bloody Designs forsook the Colledg slipt into France some of them turning to the Church of England whither they came Guido Faux himself had been also with the Pope and consulted with the aforesaid Parsons and it is affirmed by the voluntary Confession of Vid. Bp. Audrows Respons ad Apol Bellarmini c. 5. pag. 113. a Jesuit That at this time there were three Bulls procured from the Pope and ready upon this occasion and should have been published had the Powder done the intended Execution but that failing they were supprest In the Netherlands Hugh Owen an English Traitor was made acquainted with it highly commending the Contrivance and so did William Baldwin the Legier Jesuit in Flanders who some years afterwards was apprehended at Basil in Switzerland as he was in disguise stealing into Italy He was sent into England where he laid some years in the Tower and at last was delivered at the desire of Gondemar the Spanish Ambassador whose Cunning did sometimes out-master the Court-Policy As for Baldwin he dyed at Omers in September 1632. About this time in Spain lived as Legier for their Cause Arthur Creswell who after his turning Jesuit call'd himself Joseph Creswell the only man as Sir Edward Coke said he ever heard of to change his Christian Name he was informed of the Powder-Plot and liked it so well that he came into * Tho. Sponcer's Hist of the Gunpowder Treason p. 72 73. England at this time to act as 't is said his part in this glorious Action but he was so wise as to haste back again for his own safety and dyed afterwards in grief and discontent at Gant 1623 having for many years endeavoured the disturbance of the Kingdom As for Portugal Thomas Robinson who belonged to the English Covent at Lisbon affords us this Observation Henry Flood a Jesuit Anatomy of the Eng. Nun. at Lisb p. 3. Margin who afterwards lurked in England as chief Agent for the transporting of Nunns to Bruxels Graveling Lisbon or any other place This Flood caused the Jesuits at Lisbon to spend a great deal of Money on Powder on a Festival-day a little before the Powder-Treason in England should have been effected thereby to make experience of the force thereof and also perswaded one John Haw a Merchant whom he had perverted and divers other Catholicks to go over into England and to expect their Redemption there as he calls it a while How long this Conspiracy had been on the Anvil is hard to say Mr. Cambden layeth the foundation of it on the Popes Breves 1600 that were sent over to exclude King James or any other that should not maintain the Roman Religion And Catesby himself laid the greatest force and confirmation upon them For when in conference Father Garnet seem'd to desire that the Pope's consent might be obtain'd Catesby answered That he took that as granted by the Pope in his Bulls or Breves before for said he if it were not lawful to receive or repell him the said Bulls or Breves do import then is it lawful also to expel or cast him out And it appears by the Confessions of Faux and Thomas Winter that in the first year of King James 1603 the Plot was more fully agreed on and the blowing up of the Parliament-House by Powder concluded from which time till its discovery they continually had their Agitators and Councils to promote the Cause and carry on the Work with all vigour and secresie What number of them were engaged in it in England I know not nor did there appear above an hundred in a Body but that others had some hints or notice of it is more than probable And it was observed that that very morning viz. November V. the Romanists at Rowington went to Warwick and rang the Bells And the same Night Grant with some others went to the Stable of Warwick-Castle took away the Horses thence rid two miles off to Norbrook Grant's House where Rockwood's Wife Morgan's Wife with some others of the same stamp met to rejoyce with them for the downfall of Heresie encouraging their Husbands to go on encrease their Forces and fight it out to the last Nor need we suppose that their Priests and Jesuits in England were idle in this grand Affair which had been so long in hammering amongst them We meet with Hammond the Jesuit very active not only encouraging them to Cruelty but also after it was discovered to confess and absolve at one time about Twenty of the Rebels at Robert Winter's Honse Greenwell alias Tesmond another Jesuit was so zealous in this holy Cause that when he knew the Plot was known he call'd Father Hall a Flegmatick Fellow because he thought him not active enough to advance the Rebellion and in this fury hurried himself down into Lancashire to see what troubles he would raise there by falsly declaing as he went along That there was a design to cut all the throats of the Romanists Yet was the said Father Hall alias Oldcorne a Jesuit eager enough for the Plot encouraging Mr. Littleton with the justness of the Design however the Event was Instancing how the Turks sometimes beat the Christians and that the Eleven Tribes of Israel were twice overcome though God himself had commanded them to go and fight against Benjamin Rich. Carpenter's Sermon Novemb. 5. 1662 pag. 11 What need we trouble our selves with Father Thomson the Jesuit who used to vapour to his Scholars at Rome how oft his shirt had been
wet with digging under the Parliament-House and other such like stories which might be endless However there are some Romanists would gladly have the world believe all this to be but a meer cheat only to be a Trick of Salisbury the then Secretary and for proof I have had the patience and pleasure to hear a story very gravely told How one lurking under the Council-Table and upon what jealousie came he there conceal'd by the long Carpet heard much of the Contrivance A Tale so ridiculous that to endeavour its confutation would argue one more impertinent than the Tale-teller But though this story might be false yet will they have Cecyl to be the Plotter and to draw these Romanists into it as if supposing this were true they were not guilty and Traytors Can you deny but that they themselves thought the Plot lawful and just That accordingly they really intended it And would have done it if not prevented If Cecyl occasioned it he must use some Means and Instruments and who and what they were is a wonder that they were not discovered and known before now Those who were Executed accused no body and as the Poet saith well He that hangs or beats out 's Brains Hudibras part 2. Cant. 1. The Devil 's in him if he feigns If this were a Cheat and known so to be would not Father Parsons and others have vapoured with it all the World over Would they have been silent in the matter Or would they have concealed any thing that would have vindicated themselves and exposed and shamed the Church of England Were they such Friends to us and such Enemies to their own Credit Cause and Reputation But on the contrary Why doth * Judgment of a Cath. concerning the Oath of Alleg. Parag. 1. § 10. Parsons as if ashamed at it seem troubled at the very naming of it as it were desiring to hear no more of it Why doth Will. Warmington an honest Priest confess That * A Moderate Defence p. 7. none therein were culpable but only Jesuits and Catholicks If the Plot was laid and known before Why doth Spondanus say That the King's Preservation was * An. 1605 §. 8. Divinitus evasit miraculous And why doth a great Jesuit now confess That the discovery of the Plot was very a Patefactis mirabeliter eorum Consiliis Bried An. 1605. wonderful But lastly Why do several of them justifie the Powder-Plot b Co quaeus is so favourable to the Plotters that he alloweth them a good place in Heaven and yet we must not question but that King James is tormented in Hell Hath there not been publikely printed Apologies for the Fact and those who suffered in it declared c Examen Praefat. p. 43. Martyrs Did d Is Casaubon Epist 619. not * Id. Epist 624. Front Ducao John Grant one of the Traytors declare at his Execution That he thought the Fact was so far from being sinful that he rather judged it to be meritorious and enough to blot out or satisfie for all his former offences But enough of this only by the by we are told That the Heads of Catesby and Piercy were set over the House of Lords but were afterward Osborn's Mem. of K. James p. 31. as 't is said removed and others set in their places And a Learned and Honest Pen tells us thus * Peter du Moulin Vindication of the sincerity of the Protestant Relig. pag. 64. I cannot leave unobserved That in the height of the late Tyranny two Heads of the Gunpowder-Traytors that were set up upon the House of Lords were taken down not by the high Winds but by the same Zeal which plotted that Treason and with the leave of Traytors of another Feather We may hear in time that those holy Reliques are shrined up in Gold and are working Miracles To this may be added That the * Their Protestants Plea and Petition for Priests and Papists p. 58. Romanists confess themselves that Catesby Tresham T. Winter the two Wrights and Grant were in Essex his Rebellion That Piercy gave the Pistol to his Master the old Earl of Northumberland in the Tower as also that when they drew up a Petition to the Parliament for Favour or a Toleration Who should be the * Id. pag. 70. Presenters of it but Sir Francis Hastings and Sir Richard Knightly two noted Puritans Whereby it seems that these two Enemies can joyn together against the Church of England But now it is not amiss to say something concerning Father Garnet who made the greatest noise in this Plot. SECT II. The Life of Father Garnet with the story of his Straw HENRY GARNET was born in Nottinghamshire 1555 of Gentile Parents was sent to Winchester School where he was under the Tuition of the Learned Thomas Bilson then School-Master there and afterwards Bishop of Winchester In his Youth he was as bad as his Neighbours yet not behind in Learning was one of the chief Praepositors of the School in which place he began to be a young Conspirator having framed a cruel Plot to fall upon the School-Master and cut off his right hand To which might be added his filthy Sodomy with which he basely abused five or Vid. Rob. Abbot Bishop of Salisbury Antilog in Epist ad Lectorem six of the handsomest Scholars And perceiving that these his Crimes would hinder his promotion to New-Colledg in Oxford from which School that Noble Foundation is supplied he went to London and obtained to be Corrector of the Common-Law Press under Mr. Tottle the Printer Here he staid not long going to Rome where he turn'd Jesuit 1575. In this having employed himself some years he return'd to England 1586 where he was very active against his Queen and Countrey as in the Spanish Invasion and other such like Conspiracies and the better to secure himself alter'd his Name as opportunity served sometimes lurking under these several Names Wallâ—y Darcy Roberts Farmer Philips Very zealous he was in hindring the coming of King James to the Ehglish Crown and his Example was a great encouragement to the Romanists he being the Provincial or Head of the Jesuits in England The better to prevent King James his Succession he had two Bulls or Breves lying by him from the Pope to publish as occasion served And for a farther assistance he sent Thomas Winter into Spain 1601 with whom went also Greenwell alias Tesmond the Jesuit These according to their Instructions resort to Father Creswell the Legier Jesuit there who conducted them to Don Pedro Francese Secretary of State and also to the Duke of Lerma the chief Favourite where they desire that a Spanish Army might presently be sent into England and they should not want aid from the Romanists in that Island The Request is consented to the King promising to employ in it 100000 Crowns wishing them in the mean time to give him notice of the Queen's death whenit should happen Whilst these
Designs are carrying on Queen Elizabeth dyed and King James succeeded in the Throne who granted a general and full pardon for all former Treasons to all who would take them out under the Great Seal and amongst the rest Garnet also took out one under the Name of Henry Garnet of London Gentleman He Catesby and Tresham had a little before employed Christopher Wright into Spain to give advertisement of the Queen's death and to continue their former Negotiation with Winter But now perceiving the Spanish King cold in the business he well considering the peaceable entrance of King James how firmly he was setled in the Throne how often he had undertaken against England but without success and now how his Treasures were much exhausted Catesby therefore thinks nothing like some lusty Plot at home and at last this Gunpowder-Treason is concluded on which if it took effect might raise such Troubles and Garboils in England that amongst the several Interests the Romanists who would stick together might play their own Games well and by assistance from beyond Seas secure their Cause if not command the Crown In this one scruple seem'd to stick by Catesby for considering that at this general blowing up some Romanists could not be kept from that slaughter it being impossible to keep all they wish'd well to from going to the Parliament-House without probability of a discovery Upon this doubt Catesby repaireth to Garnet propounds unto him the case asking Whether for the good and promotion of the Catholique Cause against Hereticks the necessity of time and occasion so requiring it it be lawful or no amongst many Nocents to destroy and take away some Innocents also To this Garnet answers affirmatively declaring That if the advantage were greater to the Catholick part by taking away some Innocents together with many Nocents then doubtless it should be lawful to kill and destroy them all as we must not forbear the storming of a Town though some Friends be in it who with the Enemy might be slain Now they are os opinion That the Design is so secret that there is no probability of its discovery yet Garnet seem'd to wish that the Pope's Consent were had but Catesby is of opinion that the will of the Pope is sufficiently manifest by his former Bulls positively against King James his Government or Rule In May 1605 fell out certain Broils in Wales by the Romanists In June doth Greenwell the Jesuit consult at large with Garnet about the Treason but this as he pleaded was under the disguise of Confession Now also was held a great Consultation or Conference between Garnet Catesby and Tresham concerning the strength of the Romanists in England that they might inform the Pope of it In August Garnet sent Sir Edmund Baynam to the Pope whom he * Abbot Antilog fol. 176. b acquainted with the Powder-Plot under the vizard of desiring his Holiness to command all English Romanists as they say to cease from any farther Commotions as they * Cambden Eliz An. 1586. gave out in Babington's Treason knowing that such little troubles or endeavours would but hinder their Design now wholly trusting to the Powder-Blow which would be past before Baynham could end his business at Rome and return the Pope's Answer and if discovered this might bespeak Garnet of a a peaceable humour In September Pilgrimages and Devotions are appointed to be at Saint Winifrides Well in Flintshire in Wales under which pretence their Prayers Meetings and Consultations might advance the Cause In October doth Garnet meet the rest of the Plotters in Warwick-shire at Coughton bordering upon Worcester-shire to which place they resorted from all Counties In November the first Garnet prayed openly for good success and amongst other Expressions used this part of an Hymn Gentem auferte perfidam Credentium de finibus Vt Christo laudes debitas Persolvamus alacriter From us this Faithless people Lord destroy That we due praise may give to Thee with joy Speed * L. 10. §. 55. and from him * Pag. 13. Spencer tell us That these Verses were made by Garnet but by a great mistake for they are part of an old Hymn formerly used sometimes in the Church on All-Saints day but then especially aiming at the * Jud. Clichton Elucidatorium Eccles l. 1. fol. 72 73. Turks and Saracens but here we need not question strongly designed against the Church of England which it may be was the occasion that Garnet did afterwards upon more serious thoughts fear that this Hymn would be objected against him But of this I make no great matter seeing he prayed but according to his Church and may carry a good as well as a bad sense yet besides this he exhorted them to and pray'd for a good success Others of them were taught thus to pray for the downfall of Heresie and the prosperity of their Designs alluding to the working in the Myne and the blowing up of the House Prosper Lord their pains that labour in thy Cause day and night Let Heresie vanish like smoak Let the memory of it perish with a Crack like the ruin and fall of a broken House On the sixth of November early in the morning Catesby and his Confederates being met together and perceiving all discovered resolved to make the best of a bad Market sent a Letter to Garnet then ready at Coulton near unto them earnestly entreating his help and assistance for the rising of Wales and the perswading as many as he could into Arms. Greenwell the Jesuit was with him and so valiant for the Cause that he posted down into Lancashire to stir up as many as he could But Garnet seeing all discovered his heart now fail'd him and so consults his own security But a little after Garnet and Oldcorn the Jesuit were apprehended in Mr. Abington's House at Henlip in Worcester-shire being immured and closed up in a stack of Chimneys the way or passage into the Cave or Vault where they lay was an upper Room by taking up the half-pace before the Hearth whose wooden border was made like a Trap-door to pluck up and down and then the Bricks were laid in their Courses and Order again Garnet was * 28. Marâ—ch 1606. Tryed Condemned at Guild-Hall in London and executed * 3. of Mayâ— at the west end of St. Paul's Church-yard where he appeared in a Troubled and an Amazed Condition still prying and peeping about for a Pardon though Henry Mountague Recorder of the City pitying his perplexedness assured him there would be none granted And thus dyed Henry Garnet Provincial of the Jesuits for whose Life * Gualt Chro nicorum Vol. 4. pag. 1190. one tells us that the Spanish Embassador offered Thirty thousand Florences The Jesuits have taken a great deal of pains and confidence in behalf of this their Brother Garnet whom they will have to dye a Saint and Martyr what ever come of it for they will not allow of one bad man to have been
of this Oath none like Father Parsons who to have the better pretence of Reviling will father King James his Apology upon Thomas Montague and through that supposed Name bespatter his Majesty He tells us that all the * The Judgmeâ—t oâ— a Catholick English-man §. 14. pag. 9. Learned men beyond Seas cry it down as unlawful as opposing matters of Faith and he himself assures us That none can take it * Id. pag. 14. § 22. without peril of everlasting Damnation At last Parsons coming to argue against it is driven to the Fanatical Argument Liberty of Conscience and thus boldly asserts it For saith he * Pag. 38. §. 20. neither Breathing nor the use of common Air is more due unto them i. e. good Subjects or common to all than ought to be Liberty of Conscience to Christian men whereby each one liveth to God and to himself and without which he strugleth with the torment of a continual lingring death And then a little after thus boasts * Id pag. 51. §. 37. Let them shew but one only Authority Sentence Example or Testimony out of any of these three kind of Witnesses Scriptures Fathers or Councils that we must obey Princes against our Conscience or Religion and I will grant he saith somewhat to the purpose Thus will they have all their Religion or Faith to hang upon the taking or not taking of this Oath But in this zeal for liberty he meets with a Rub and that is this Why then do the Romanists force Protestants by their Inquisitions to abjure their Opinions and if they refuse Id. pag. 23. §. 36. punish them with Death or as the Crime requireth To this Objection Parsons thinks he saith enough by telling you that the case is not the same because forsooth the Roman Church hath jus acquisitum ancient right over Hereticks but the Protestant Church of England hath no such thing upon Catholicks As Treasonable an Assertion as could be imagined seeing according to his Consequence and the thing in hand A Protestant King can have no right over Romanists and so Protestanism must ipso facto deprive Kings and render them uncapable of Dominion where the people are of the Roman Religion so that Henry IV. was not nor could be King of France till he was reconciled to Rome The truth is all of them who write against the Oath ground all their Exceptions upon this That they think it takes away the Pope's power of depriving Kings and absolving Subjects from their Allegiance so that we may see what it is that pincheth them and how much they look upon Loyalty and true Obedience to be an Enemy to their Interest and Church But to render this Oath more odious and terrible they amaze the simple people with strange stories of God's Judgments against the takers of it and this with the Vulgar they make one of their best Arguments They alledg That the Captain of them viz. Father Blackwell dyed Vid. Rog. Widdrington's Theolog. Disput cap. 10. Sect. 4. suddenly To which the other Party reply That 't is granted that Blackwell on Saturday in the afternoon viz. 25 of January 1612 fell into a swoun being well before upon which he was had to bed whither some Priests came to him to whom he affirmed he had done nothing contrary to his Conscience in taking the said Oath and that it was a lawful Oath and so dyed a little after but his death was five years after he had taken the Oath That if sudden-deaths be Arguments they could retort and tell them of some Priests Enemies of the Oath who dyed by the same Judgments as of one in the North who otherwise very healthy was so suddenly strucken with a deadly Disease that he dyed within sixteen hours Of another that fell down a pair of Stairs whereby he was so bruised that he lived not long after Of a third who leaping hastily over an Hedg fell into a pit on the other side of the Hedg and so was cast away To all these might be added that one of the greatest Champions the Oath had was Mr. Thomas or Rowland Preston a learned Benedictan Monk who lived many a fair year after his taking and defending the said Oath though the Pope and his Party might have wish'd that he had dyed sooner or writ less Yet he disguised his Writings under the Name of Roger Widdrington who indeed was another Romanist living in the North under which Name he opposed Suarez baffled Bellarmine confuted Gretzer Becanus and the rest of their Party whereupon some began to call it Widdrington's Doctrine i. e. to defend the lawfulness of the Oath of Allegiance The Jesuits had several designs against him once they plotted to seize upon him in a Boat upon the River Thames and so to hurry him beyond Seas where they would have claw'd him for his defending Loyalty and Allegiance but he suspected that the beyond-sea Air would hasten his death therefore for some years he secured himself in the Clink where he lived with freedom followed his Studies and had an excellent Library of his own Again the other Party object That Mr. Jackson who took the Oath dyed of the Plague But this is nothing to the unwarrantableness of the Oath unless we will argue that it was unlawful to regain the Holy-land from the Saracens because S. Lewis ix King of France and one that is Canonized is said to dye of the Plague in that Expedition or that we must not read Sanders his Book de Schismate because Edward Rishton a rebellious ungrateful Priest published it and made Continuations to it and dyed of the Plague in Lorrain Nay the Anti-Loyalists flye so low that rather than have nothing to say they would object as a fault the living or breathing at a Bishops House and all this a-do because Mr. William Warmington lived in the Bishop of Winchester's House whereas the Objection was occasioned by their own uncharitableness For Warmington having taken and engaged himself as a Champion of the Oath his own Roman Friends and Kindred became his Enemies withdrawing from him all the Benevolence they used to allow him Warmington put to this stress of Livelihood only for his Loyalty and Obedience petitions the King for some Allowance The King graciously accepts it commends him to Dr. Bilson the Bishop of Winchester with order to take him to himself to his own House there to provide for him The Bishop obeys Warmington lives with him wants nothing hath liberty at pleasure and freedom of his Religion And is not this a notable Argument to prove the Oath of Allegiance unlawful But if these should fail they can flye to their old trick of Miracles and bring Heaven it self to confute the Oath and this they doubt not but will work much with the honest Romanist One of their Stories take as followeth Mr. Thomas Newton of Pickworth in Lincolnshire a Roman Catholick meeting at Standford with one Mr. Edward Sutton of Kellam in
the Archbishop of Canterbury and so to hinder any other from performing it he wrote an a Bar. anno 1170. § 3. Express to the Archbishop of York and the other Bishops of England not to anoynt him or meddle in the business thereby to necessitate the recalling of Thomas But this design wrought otherwise than intended for the King inraged at this Prohibition forthwith caused all his Subjects from twelve years old to sixty b Stow. pag. 151. col 1. Speed § 35. to abjure the Popes Obedience or take an Oath not to obey the Popes Constitutions And then had his Son Crown'd at Westminster by Roger Archbishop of York the other Bishops assisting where the young King was c Speed § 36. Bar. § 16. sworn to observe the ancient Customs of the Nation without any mention of the Churches liberties This resolution of the King or something else did a little cool the Pope and having put on his considering cap he seem'd not so violent against the Coronation as formerly though Thomas cryed out that he and his authority was undone by it but to pacifie him the Pope sent him a Paper-remedy viz. that that action should not for the future be any a Bar. § 14. prejudice to his rights and priviledges And to give Thomas more content he b Id. § 17. suspended Roger Archbishop of York and this terrible sentence he sent to Thomas himself to make the best use of it Now had the world for almost seven years been troubled with this quarrel between a King and his Subject insomuch that all parties grew almost weary of it And now once more to try if any good could be done a treaty was brought about again For this the Pope sends his Legats and some threats against Henry if peace not presently made and Thomas also used his humour to procure an Agreement viz. threatning to c Id. § 24. Interdict the Kings Dominions and ranting against his Soveraign to the Legats declaring him to be no other than a d Id. § 25. Deceiver Jugler and Corrupter And are these words savouring of an obedient and peaceful subject But in brief a Conference was had between the King and Thomas in a place call'd by the Inhabitants e Pratum Proditorum Traytors-Meddow where though Thomas took upon him to upbraid the King for opposing him and the Church and resolved not to yeild to him about the Customs his Sons Coronation or the loss of his own liberty and honour as he call'd it yet the King shew'd himself so plyable that a peace was struck up between them Thomas himself confessing to the Pope That f Ille verbum acceptans annuit nos nostros qui aderant recepit in gratiam suam Baron anno 1170. § 30. the King accepted all in good part yeilded us our request and received us with all ours there present into his favour In this Treaty the King twice held Thomas his Horse g Matt. Paris an 1170. pag. 122. bridle whilst he mounted on Horse-back was not Thomas proud to permit it or not dislike it Now might we suppose all to be calme and quiet but we shall finde nothing less for Agreement thus made Thomas hastes for England where being come he having desired the h Pol. Virg. l. 13. p. 212. Popes Authority suspends or Excommunicates the Bishops for i Speed § 40. Crowning the young King And thus instead of being peaceable and patient he reneweth the old broyl and provokes again to displeasure by Censuring those who had been the Kings friends and by so doing râ—flected upon his Majesty Upon this the King would have Thomas to absolve them again but that he refused unless they would swear absolute Obedience to the Pope which they said they would not do without the Kings consent whose dignity it did most touch upon The Father-King then in France being informed of these extravagant actions of Thomas against the peace and tranquillity of his Subjects fell into such a displeasure that in a sudden rage and passion he wonder'd revenge was not done upon Thomas which four of his Courtiers hearing interpreting the words to a wrong sence without any Warrant or Authority thought they could not do the King better service than by killing the Archbishop For which purpose they haste into England so to Canterbury where they cruelly murder'd Thomas in the Cathedral Church at a place yet call'd the Martyrdom But the k Barth Gavant Thesour Sacrorum Rituum tom 2. pag. 140. certain day on which he suffer'd they cannot positively tell yet they confidently appoint a day in the Calendar as they do many others upon uncertainties The names of these four Courtiers were Sir Richard or Hugh Breton or Brito the name of a Family yet Tho. Fuller's Church-Hist l. 3. § 66. extant in Northamptonshire Sir Hugh Morvill of Kirk-Oswald in Cumberland where his Sword wherewith he slew Becket was kept a long time in memory of that fact his Family at this day extinct Sir William Tracy * Stow p. 152. col 2. Baron of Brains and Morton whose heirs yet flourish at Todington in Glocestershire Sir Reginald or Reynold some say Richard Fitz-Vrse or Bears son his Postery was afterwards men of great Lands and Commands in the County of Monaghan in Ireland being there call'd Mac-Mahon which in Irish signifieth the son of a Bear To these was assisting one Hugh call'd the Ill-clerk an Officer of the Church But though these kill'd him never so surely yet are we told a pretty a Bar. anno 1170. § 59 story how that the next morning prayers being ended he lifted up his hand and gave the Monks his Benediction and well he might when b Pet. de Natal lib. 2. cap. 13. Angels in the Choire appear'd and helped to sing his Requiem These four having slain Thomas fled into the North and for some time hid themselves in Knaresbrough Castle in York-shire whence they went to Rome where though at first the Pope had Excommunicated them they obtain'd their c Bar. anno 1172. § 22. Absolution and Pardon from Alexander the Third being enjoyn'd by way of penance to visit the Holy-land And we are told that the Clergy having thus exempted themselves from the temporal Laws so the d Speed § 44. punishment of a Priest-killer was not then Death but Excommunication till about the year 1176 it was declared by this King Henry that such Murderers should suffer loss of life We are also told that whilst these men remain'd under Excommunication that e Bar. an 1172. § 22. Dogs though never so hungry would not take bread from their hands as true as many other old-wives tales in Baronius befitting the credit of a learned Cardinal However that the memory of the men and their bloudy action might not be forgot their f Will. Somner's Antiq. of Cant. p. 164. Statues of Stone were set up in the Cathedral Churches Porch